Short answer: I don't really think so. I really only say this because happiness isn't exactly a physical thing that people can buy (if people could buy happiness in a box they almost certainly would, but I guess that's what life ruining drugs are for). The thing about buying happiness, though, is that people actually do think they can buy happiness (not just in the form of drugs). People think that buying a house, a car, a computer, a smartphone, etc. etc. etc. will bring them happiness.
I consider this only superficial happiness though, due to the fact that any of these things can be changed and exchanged or taken away relatively quickly. But this is all due to today's materialistic culture. Everyone always wants more, wants what's newest, what's most flashy - just so they can show off. Take the iPhone for example. It's basically a meme at this point how everyone always has to get the newest iPhone as soon as it comes out. I don't want to be too biased, but people spending between $700-$800 on a phone that is no longer the best option every year is pretty ridiculous. The two mile long wait lines to get the newest iPhone - I mean, is it even worth it?
I don't want to imply that I'm not a part of this absurd consumerist culture - my thoughts on android being the clearly superior phone option aside. I know that I find myself browsing tech articles fairly often on what's newest and coolest. Like other people, I want what's best, and I want it because I think it will make me happier - at the very least it will make me feel as if I'm better than the person with last year's phone. But the question is: will it really make me happier? In the short term it might. Cause everyone loves getting new things. Take the excitement of getting a package in the mail from Amazon for example.
I have this theory (that may be supported by research I saw too long ago to remember) that money and/or property can only buy happiness up to a certain point. After that point your happiness either stays the same or starts to drop off. I feel like, once you get to a certain point of wealth, more wealth just doesn't mean anything. You can already buy pretty much everything so what's the point of getting more. I guess just to fill the greed that everyone in the capitalist world has. This is why we must change to a communist economy where no one has anything to themselves. If we can get rid of greed we can start concentrating more on the real problems. Let us go forth, Comrade.
Great post! You bring up a lot of good points and support it with evidence. I think that this essay was particularly convincing because you pointed out your own flaws in participating in this consumerist culture. The fact that you admitted that you were also guilty of buying superficial happiness and wanting more of it made you as an author more trustworthy and therefore helped me as the reader to not question your credibility. Your informal tone also helped to make this essay easy to read. One suggestion I would make is add more support to your argument on why we must change to a communist economy. This idea seemed sudden and caught me off guard, and I felt like you ended the essay without thoroughly explaining this idea.
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