Tuesday 7 February 2012

HAPPINESS FOR SALE

Can you buy happiness? This question brings me back to the theology class I attended when I was a university student in the Philippines, nearly two decades ago. The topic has cropped up through a group discussion about Morality and Commercialism; and how young people should recognize the significance of Faith and Prayers to preserve one’s moral standard and values. Even in meticulous catholic universities, the issue of deteriorating ethics and moral principles of its students is a portrait of reality. The influence of education (even at that time) as far as morality is concerned was slowly showing signs of waning and silent disregard.
From the same group discussion, many social issues were inevitably brought upon, including drug addiction, corruption, abortion, premarital sex, amongst others. Back then, these were forefront indicators (at least in that particular location of the earth) to recognize the level of morality a society has. With wide-ranging arguments flying around the classroom, on the impact of these to our individual lives, our respective purpose to this world, and the subtle defiant against Christian teachings; our enduring theology teacher called our attention and asked us to define a fulfilled and happy life based on the philosophy that we individually clung to. Then as we seriously figured out the best answer we could write, one funny classmate stood up and enquired; ‘Is it the commercial happiness?’.

When asked what he meant by it and if he was serious, he was confident and began to enumerate many (indeed) fonts of commercial happiness that could fulfil a hungry and ambitious young mind. He mentioned about the happiness travelling around the world if he had lots of money, and the fulfilment that went along if one could have anything he wanted every minute of his life. That whether we like it or not, most people’s happiness is reliant upon material things; and that a person who has less in life finds happiness so elusive. If you have money, you could buy happiness anywhere at anytime. If life is short, then at least you enjoy every bit of it. In other words, your financial standing is a gauge to a happy life.
So then, if money is the measure of happiness; the poorest amongst the poor does not have any chance to be happy. I begged to disagree in peace, because I knew there are lots of people who remained happy in spite of their poverty and on the contrary, many wealthy people have miserable lives. Frank McKinney Hubbard was right to say, “ It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness. Poverty and wealth have both failed”.
And what about the other kind of happiness, which is not commercial? Well, he said it is a state of mind; an attitude that goes beyond material things. There are few who are so blessed to find it within the simplicity of their hearts and their compassion for others. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama said; “The greatest degree of inner tranquillity comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.





And yes! My university pal was right. Happiness has many perspectives. Looking at our own lives now, happiness is readily associated with money. Why do we work so hard everyday and even on weekends? An outright answer to that is to earn big and to earn more. We need to get more money so we could buy good things for our family, education for our children, and savings for the golden age. You could not be happy to find no food on your table and realize that your sons and daughters are sleeping with empty tummies; could you?. Aside from providing the basic needs of your children, it is also a source of happiness to see them excited and cheerful because of the new phone you gave them as a birthday gift, or a promise to take them to a holiday. But according to Margaret Young, “Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is a reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.” In my differing view to this, is it spending that comes first rather than saving? Obviously too, you could not run a car without a fuel.
It would be hypocrisy to say that we do not need money to be happy because it has become an indispensable material to our everyday living. But I would agree that our attitude helps us recognize the extent that money becomes fundamental. Our character decides whether we are happy or not, the good thing is we could change our character. But it is wrong to say that happiness is for sale. We use money because at some circumstances, that is the only way we can share our happiness to others.

29 comments:

  1. I really liked the Hubbard quote: "It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness. Poverty and wealth have both failed."
    I agree that happiness is not for sale.
    Money is a comfort - knowing that we can put food on the table, and clothe our family, take care of doctors bills or anything else that would keep our loved ones happy and safe. Money is not the key to happiness, although I do also think that you could enjoy a really happy time if you had enough money to regularly take trips and do fun things with friends and family.
    This is a tough question... I think that happiness comes from within. A person has the ability to control the way they react - happiness has to be 'chosen', your decided reaction.

    Great post!

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  2. Happiness, I suppose, depends on one's own sense of happiness. To me, being alive has always been enough.

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  3. hi Healingleaf,

    thanks for your message and personal thoughts about happiness.

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  4. hi Nothingprofound,

    Surely it does depend upon individual's wisdom and purpose.

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  5. These days the delusional are cherry picking Old Testament scriptures and creating their own false gospel message. Many Christians choose to love money and what it can buy. They need to become self aware and self honest in order to apprehend the truth, but it's not likely that most will achieve that before their demise. They only need to read their book to see what Jesus said to the rich man's son as well as the other scriptures that point out money does not buy happiness nor does it buy a spot in heaven. However, as that true gospel message does not suit them they remain deluded and continually attempt to justify what cannot be justified in the eyes of their god.

    Happiness is derived from the choices we make between our ears. I choose to rise above my circumstances and to be contented with what I do have. I do not cling to any agenda of acquiring more wealth or possessions or trips to foreign lands at all.

    I have consideranble life experience and I have twice faced death myself and lived on. I have lost family members and close friends, so I know without any doubt what really matters in the end is the raltionships we form and the memories we create.

    Knowing that I am loved evokes a feeling of true happiness within in me and feelings of gratitude as well. I am grateful that I do have people who love me. I am glad we have an continue to cearte happy memories together that will live on after I pass on. That's all what matters -- the rest is dross.

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  6. I like your post. It's indeed hypocrisy to say I don't need money in order to be happy. I do need some money to keep happiness with me. If one knows how to use money on the right way, it could bring happiness and fulfillment not just pleasure.

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  7. Yes it does depend on an indivuals wisdom and purpose . Reminds me of an old song. I'd rather be a hammer than a nail .

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  8. Hi timethief,

    Thanks for your comments. I agree that our choices can bring happiness to life. I only wondered if the choices require a little supply of finances? Our choices are not perfect because we are naturally fallible, would you still be happy with failed decisions?

    I am sorry about what you have been through. And I know you have become so tough with your experiences,i am glad that there are people around who give us true happiness.

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  9. Hi Saintgoody,

    I truly believe that. It's not that we make money powerful, but it's only that we have choices in our lives, choices to make us happy and grateful. One source of my happiness is to send my cousins to school as a gratefulness of the blessing God gives me. I need money to do that, don't I?

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  10. I think you can buy happiness, but that happiness will not take long. Iba pa rin yung kasiyahan na hindi nakukuha sa pamamagitan ng pera.

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  11. If I may share my own point of view about happiness: it is finding contentment to all that we have because in dissatisfaction we tend to crave for more and if we don't get what we want --- unhappiness starts to come upon us then all the rest follow; jealousy...envy...

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  12. i couldn't agree more, happiness is not for sale, the true kind of happiness. thanks for this great read :)

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  13. no one can buy happiness! im a mom and i've been buying a lot of things for me and my family but at the end of the day you treasure every little smile and laughs you'll see and hear when your family is full of joy and goodness. xx

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  14. True! Kelangan nga natin ng pera, but it is not the measure of happiness. That's sad if people think na kapag mahirap ka, hindi ka na happy. Like you said, there are many rich folks out there who are miserable. Happiness is a choice! You could choose to be happy, may pera ka man o wala..

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  15. Happiness for me is something intangible, it cannot be measured or bought. but money is also a good contributing factor to happiness, even if you have a good heart and you live by the rules and but you don't have anything to feed your family will you be happy to see your family suffering? For me, happiness is when you have everything around you that makes you comfortable, both emotionally and physically, enough of everything to make you smile.. ;)

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  16. money won't buy true happiness, but it may be a vehicle to share happiness to others!.. only when we think of others - give more of ourselves to others - shall we be truly happy!:)

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  17. Happiness can't be bought ... it can be given though. I think we cannot buy it for ourselves but when we use our money to do good for someone, that's the time we can say we buy happiness ... for others.

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  18. for me, happiness is simple... seeing my kids grow up happy and healthy... that is happiness for me... and you can't buy that...

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  19. Happiness is measured in the extent of satisfaction everyone's felt inside his/her heart. Be it temporal or spiritual. The real happiness is when everyone gains his/her eternal life.

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  20. There are too many ways to describe happiness. For me life is composed 99% of happiness and 1% grumpy. Why 1% grumpy? I become grumpy only when I'm hungry and if it takes me an hour to find food I will turn to green. lol And Oh lots of people now buy happiness to satisfy their necessity. xx

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  21. This one is good! :)
    I hope we could discuss it in our upcoming classes in theology too.

    This topic is pretty interesting.

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  22. Happiness is relative, what makes one happy will not make another feel the same. Still, there are so many ways to be happy and these don't need to be bought.

    Smiling for example is one. It's free and you make others and yourself happy. :)

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  23. Momentary happiness perhaps... But not true joy :)

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  24. Very well said. True that we cant buy happiness but money is part of our life and a basic need to support our living. Nowadays, without this, we cannot get the happiness that we want and we NEED. Happiness like food, clothing, decent place to live, etc. but aside from that, there's this happiness that money cant buy, and like what you have said, it is love and compassion. :)

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  25. I was caught by your style of writing. I loved it.

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  26. All of us are always in pursuit of happiness but to achieve it depends on every individuals strategy and wisdom...sad to say there are people who love to step on others toe just to grab his/her own dose of happiness.

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  27. for me yeah happiness can be bought, but depends on the terms and types of happiness you want.. If i wanna a quick happiness, and i have funds, well i can buy a lot of happiness. hehehhe but if a wanna a peaceful time alone.. that's the happiness even a single centavo can't buy. :)

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  28. Good thoughts! :) Some may say that happiness doesn't necessarily involve money but practically speaking, money does bring food to the table. However, there are also some things that money can't buy so it can go either way. :)

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