Harry Peng, G10, RDF International School

It’s difficult to say whether or not money can buy happiness because happiness is so hard to define. Some would say that money can provide you with basic comforts, which is a precondition for happiness. Happiness is a complex emotion, influenced by one’s personality. While having a certain amount of wealth may make a person more likely to have a happy life, it is by no means the only determinant of happiness.

Money can bring happiness to the poor. Poor people are often worried about whether they have enough food to eat and enough clothes to wear. They don’t even have basic comforts, let alone a happy life. But if they have enough money to buy basic necessities, they can have a comfortable life and feel a sense of security, which also makes them happy. In some underdeveloped places, many children are eager to study at school. But many families cannot afford for their children to study, and the children usually go to work at an early age. If poor families have money, these children can do what they want, which is very happy for them.

For the rich, money does not necessarily bring happiness. For example, rich people usually cannot find any happiness in buying a car, which is already a basic necessity for them. Some rich people are too busy to spend more time with their families, which cannot be solved with money.

Whether money can bring happiness varies from person to person. For one thing, money can satisfy poor people’s material foundation. For another, money cannot solve rich people’s problems of family companionship. All in all, we should be in awe of money.