MoneyandHappiness

　　Philosophersrarelynecessarybecauseofthemoneybecausetheybelievethatmoneycanbringhappinessisverylimited.AsEpicurussaid:moremoneywillnotbemorethanhappytomakemoneyhasbeenachievedlimitedlevel.Whetherthisunderstanding,itisbecausetheyhaveanotherwaytoenjoyahappy,haveamind.Itisthejoyandspiritofcomparison,thematerialcanbringthejoyofshowingitslimitedonlytothespiritofhappinesscanbeunlimited.Therefore,thesageisacommonfeature:ontheonehand,ashappytoseethelimitedmaterial,thematerialwillbeabletoatleastenablethemtomeet;Ontheotherhand,becausethespiritofboundlessdesiretobehappy,noamountofmaterialdoesnotallowthemtomeet.

　　WhatYouDtdntKnowaboutMoneyandHappinessverthepast15years,researchershavestudiedtheconnectionbetweenmoneyandhappiness.Theirfindingsshattermanymisconceptions.Herearefiveofthemostsurprisingresults.1.Everyoneneedsafewluxuriestobehappy.Asix-figureincomeaffordsafamilymanypleasures--amoreluxurioushome,perhapsatriptoDisneylandorafanciercar.Butdosuchthingsmakeyouhappier?Pleasureisnotthesameashappiness.Pleasureisatemporaryrelease.Happinesscomesfromexperiencesinwhichone'smentalandemotionalenergiesareinvested.Justashappyfamiliesvaluepleasuresthatinvolvepersonaleffort,sotheyvaluepossessionsthathavepersonalmeaning,likeGrandma'sweddingring.Unhappypeople,however,aremorelikelytoprizepossessionsbecauseoftheircostorutility,acarthathandleswelloranexpensivenecklace.2.Happinessisapermanentvacation.Wouldyouquityourjobifyoudidn'tneedthemoney?ManyAmericanssaidquittingworkwasanimportantreasontoberich.Yetresearchersfindthatworkisoneoflife'schiefsatisfactionsforpeople.Ajob,studiesshow,ismorethanapaycheck.Doingsomethingwellcanincreaseconfidenceandself-worth.3.Abigraisewouldmakeyouhappy.Ifjobsaresoimportant,wouldn'tsalarysizebeagaugeofjobsatisfaction?Americansthinkso.Asurveyfoundthatalmost70percentoftherespondentssaidtheywouldbehappieriftheirfamilieshadtwiceasmuchhouseholdincome.Yetstudiesshowthatjobsatisfactioncomeslessfromhowmuchpeopleearnthanfromthechallengeoftheirjobsandthecontroltheyareabletoexert.Workthatdoesn'tengageapersonwillneverseemrewarding,nomatterhowlucrativeitbecomes.4.Nothingcomfortslikecash.Intimesofcrisis--adebilitatingillnessorlossofone'shome--moneycancomeinprettyhandy.Butforallitsbenefits,itcannotfortifyyouagainsttheinevitablepainandsadnessthatfollowthecrisis.Forthat,researcherssay,youneedclosefriendships."Humanbeingsarehard-wiredtobesocialanimals"."They'renotbuilttohandlethingsalone."5.Happinessandwealtharen'tmutuallyexclusive.It'spossibletohaveboth--orneither.Butmostbelievethatthosewhohavehappiness,inthelongrun,havemore.EvenauthorOscarWildeagreed:"Ordinaryrichescanbestolenfromaman.Realrichescannot.Inthetreasuryhouseofyoursoul,thereareinfinitelypreciousthingsthatmaynotbetakenfromyou."

　　Somebodysays,moneyiseverythingandmoneycanmakehimhappy.Idonnotagreetosuchaview.Ithinkmoneyissomethingimportant,becausewemustbuythingsforourdailylivingwithmoney.However,moneysometimescannotbringhappinesstous.Becauseofmoney,perhapsonewilldosomeillthings,suchasgambling，takingdrugs,goforwenchandsoon.Asaresult,hismoneyrunsoutatlast,hebecomespoorerandpoorerandhastoliveamiserylife.Onthecontrary,Ibelievethathappinesscanencourageonetomakemoney.Thisisbecauseoneisalwaysinhighspirits,hewouldliketodoeverythinghelpful.Whiledoingso,heearnsalotforliving.Keepinmindthatmoneyisimportant,butmoneyisonlyapartinourlife.Weshouldtrytomakemoney,yetweshouldtreasureourhappiness.