The question, “What makes people happy?” seems to be as old as time. It continuously follows curious minds throughout their lives, perspectives on it reshaped after every other major life event or change in mindset. Some believe that the key to happiness lies in finding one’s true self; others in healthy relationships with friends and family, time spent on hobbies, financial stability, and so on. To ultimately achieve happiness, one first needs to identify what constitutes happiness from their own viewpoint. More and more, we are becoming witnesses of how an evolving economy and society, and established cultural values widely affect what the masses consider as happiness. The false perceptions of happiness have led to so many people chasing this goal by spending the two most sought-after resources of the modern man — money and the power granted with it.

No matter how hard it is to admit, the world we live in is ruled primarily by our self-interest. Hedge funds, small businesses, private practices, and even educational institutions are established with money being a key aspect of their agendas. In a world full of goods and services readily available to be purchased, those with more money are more respected, capable, and ultimately powerful. The power that comes with money can be put to good use, but it may turn into a destructive force if left unchecked. One of the safest ways money can be spent is through a cycle of instant gratification. Constantly treating ourselves with flashy purchases might give us momentary satisfaction, but eventually our happiness levels tend to go back to normal, leaving us with an unfulfilled desire to shop for more. On the other hand, money reveals most of its evil potential when greed comes into play. Given enough resources and greed, money opens all doors. Here is where money’s true power is revealed — would one rather use the money for their own best interests at the expense of the emotional and ethical wellbeing of others, or keep that urge on a leash, abstaining from perks provided by this higher power in order to keep peace? 

To let money solve problems on its own is a very appealing choice. A pile of cash can turn someone’s eyes away from a misdemeanor. A bag of cash will put someone through college. A suitcase of cash can alter the course of a court trial. A safe full of cash can affect state elections. All these scenarios can have a major impact on the lives of those who make such payments, but paying their way to achieve a goal would disturb the ethical equilibrium around them. The small misdemeanor might in fact harm others; a position bought with money at a college can take this position away from those more qualified but less economically advantaged; an altered court trial might put an innocent man behind bars; elections favoring a particular candidate might result in a plummeting economy. Through such ways, one might achieve what they were longing for, but how well are they going to sleep afterwards?

Consider a wealthy person with power in their hands who uses it ruthlessly, getting rid of anything that hinders them. Life will be made easy, but would that person be happy? The answer to that depends on, of course, the perspective of the individual. If unlimited freedom of will and absence of disturbance is what makes one happy, then unlimited cash and ultimate power is what they need. If happiness comes from peace and harmonious relationships with others, then power doesn’t contribute to true happiness. We paint our own picture of life, and to make it bright and colorful, we have to choose a palette first — a palette that we deem appropriate to describe the world around us.