Amanda Buchner
Mrs. Mellor
AP English
January 24, 2015
Does Money Really Bring Happiness? John Locke once stated that all men have the right to life, liberty, and property. The author of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, changed this statement to the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. People have the constitutional right to be joyful and therefore strive for it, but what is it that really brings people glee? Many people believe that the answer to this question is simply money. They think that the more money they have, the happier they will be, but is this necessarily true? Can a 2 by 6 inch bill really be all it takes to bring delight? Although money can buy materials and experiences that
It is not wrong to say that money will bring happiness, but when it comes to a quest for lasting joy, money is not the answer.
To really see if money brings joy, take a look at those who possess it. Celebrities, for example, are swimming in the cash they have but is their life filled with bliss? Famous singer
Whitney Houston dealt with drug abuse, alcoholism, and depression all throughout her life.
Her life was abruptly ended when she allegedly committed suicide through a drug overdose in her hotel bathtub on February 11, 2012. Robin Williams, beloved actor and comedian, ended his own life by hanging himself on August 11, 2014 after years of struggling with depression and anxiety. Kurt Cobain, lead singer of the band Nirvana, suffered from a heroin addiction, depression and bipolar disorder during his lifetime and committed suicide by a gunshot on
April 5, 1994. If money really did bring happiness, these heartbreaking stories would not have ended in such a sorrowful way. These amazing people were living proof that money is not all it takes to live an enjoyable life. They had the money, but they were left without the pleasure of life. Surely, these three tragic examples do not show the wonderful lives that some celebrities have, but it is an unmistakable fact that there are many that live miserable lives.
Physiological studies have proven that there are seven virtues that lead