Geography of Bliss Essay
Can Money Buy Happiness For centuries, mankind seeks to answer the question: Can money buy happiness? Therefore psychologists are exploring the relationship between wealth and happiness for decades. They came to the conclusion that money can make people happy if it involves moving from a state of extreme poverty into the middle class, but they do not have a noticeable impact in the future. It means that people feel glad and safe when they have enough of money to satisfy daily needs. It is important to understand, what really makes people happy besides the living routine. Jarod Kintz quotes “I think the key indicator for wealth is not good grades, work ethic, or IQ. I believe it is relationships. Ask yourself two questions: How many people do I know, and how much ransom money could I get for each one? ”I think it is safe to say happiness have many aspects. The real versions of well-being that plays out every day are the ones based upon an individual experience, perception and values. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner shows a beguiling mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is. Mr. Weiner’s findings reveal, that government of Switzerland makes decisions based upon happiness and the well being of their country. The following quote summarizes the Swiss government’s overall philosophy. “Good government, meaningful work, strong family ties –these are all major contributors to happiness, yet if you are unhappy, truly despondent, none of them will prevent you from committing suicide” ( 38).I agree that the three aforementioned major contributors to happiness do prevent people from taking their own lives. Having a secure employment and a steady income enables a person to enjoy the bounties of what he can afford, such as entertainment, relaxation, hobbies, to mention a few. There is truth to the statement that we work for a living. The key word is living. There are situations where some
Cited: Weiner, Eric. “The Geography of Bliss.” New York: Hachette Book Group, 2008. http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/money