Does money bring happiness? In the present world, the answer is “Yes” for a majority and “No” for a handful. All of us have at some point of time have seen extremely rich, wealthy and famous people unhappier than what we would expect them to be, given the amount of material benefits that they have. It is surprising that a large number of wealthy people do not seem to experience the happiness. For that reason, many rich and famous commit suicide due to depression. A study conducted by the University of Illinois indicated that more than twenty five percent of the richest people in America were not as happy as the person who earned a modest amount of money.
Long back, I had read in a national newspaper about this money matter. There the question raised was “why some people go on accumulating money and wealth which give them happiness?” There, psychologists had said, “Those people start loving money more than their kith and kin and in extreme cases from themselves.” This is a dangerous tendency to become a similar character like ‘Jaganath Kundu’ of Rabindranath Tagore’s short story ‘The Trust Property’.
Have you ever noticed that most of the unhappy people that you meet everyday are rich or well-to-do ones? The misery that these people go through is not because they do not have enough money but to the fact that their expectation for more money ruins their happiness. Their life of happiness revolves around materialistic things of life. Money cannot buy you everything including happiness. But in the minds of people who give up everything for money, it is difficult for them to accept the realities of life. Once they fall sick, they realise that money is not everything; it can buy imported stents, pacemakers but not happiness. Sick people are not happy people in spite of huge bank balance, landed property and a fleet of costly cars!
Some say the standard of living and higher education are the key to success of a nation, but if that be so then why the new generation of people from Kerala have the highest divorce rate, suicide rate and depression incidence in India? A similar situation amongst Japanese exists. Our national planners must look into this dangerous aspect of our youths for more money and more materialist comforts of life which ultimately leads to unhappiness and misery. Is our education system at fault? Or the upbringing of our children by the parents is the root cause of all that ails the present society? Someone must have the answer!
So, if you are unhappy and think money will bring happiness, then think again. Even if you are to win a lottery tomorrow, the pleasure will not last long. Pretty soon, you’ll be back to square one. There is a saying that if you are not happy at your home, then you ever will be at anytime and anyplace with more money and comfort. Happiness is something that is inside us not outside and accessing it needs a strong willpower or a teacher like Sri Krishna. Of course, MONEY is important to help us live our life to the fullest. But at the same time, increase in its inflow does not bring proportional happiness with it. You must practise the seven steps of yoga to be a happy man. You must be aware that your attitude is your key to happiness.
(The writer is Dip in Yoga, BHU, and a former Joint Director, SAIL)