Money Essay, Research Paper

2/1/00

$1,000,000 Essay Block 4 Days 1 and 3

Who would want $1,000,000? The real question is, who wouldn t? There are so many things that can be bought with $1,000,000. Happiness would be found in your wallet. You could buy a new house, a fancy car or how about a new wardrobe with the latest styles. Hey, while you re at it, you might as well buy a college education, a perfect husband or wife, and possibly a few well mannered children. You could buy your way into a life lived only by the Brady Bunch and the Partridges. Wait a minute, stop your spending spree right there. Now think about it, can you really buy all of that? Well, maybe the new house, fancy car, and new wardrobe but definitely not the perfect family. It s just not possible. This means that happiness cannot be found in your wallet. After all, it is the love that you receive from your family that provides complete happiness and you can t buy true love. This is the point of the Steven Page and Ed Robertson song If I Had $1,000,000 . Through it s catchy and laugh inducing lyrics, this song shows that money can t buy the true happiness that love can provide.

When does a person consider themselves happy? Not just happy, as in content, but true happiness that lasts a lifetime? Because, these are different things. Buying a new shirt may bring about happiness, but it wears away after a while. Winning the Super Bowl or the Olympics would bring happiness, but for how long? These example make you content but not truly happy. So what makes a person truly happy? Loving someone so much that you are willing to spend the rest of your life with them? Having children that look up to you and love you?

In their song If I had $1,000,000 , Steven Page and Ed Robertson say that they would be happy eating Kraft dinner. Now if you had $1,000,000, would you really be eating Kraft dinner? Most likely you would be dining on fine wines and delicious, delicate entrees and desserts. These gourmet foods may provide a person with happiness but only for a short term of time. A person could be supplied with long term happiness with just a simple smile without any cost at all. Long term happiness, with no cost at all can also be provided from a poem received from a loved one, breakfast in bed prepared by children who adore you (even if the eggs are a little runny and the toast is quite burnt), or watching the sunrise with that special someone. Long term happiness is not found within material possessions but within the people and animals that provide a person with love. A tree fort, a K-car, and crazy elephant bones may be fun to play with but they don t quite have that special zing that love has.

Happiness cannot be bought. Money can only provide material possessions which only give brief happiness. Warmth, trust, and love make a person truly happy. Money can t buy a father who is your superhero. It can t buy a mother who nurses you when you are sick and caresses you when you can t sleep. It can t buy your soul mate. It can t buy children who are a part of you and who you love dearly. It doesn t compare with unconditional love.

Steven Page and Ed Robertson give the answer to the universal question: can money buy happiness? The answer, no. Happiness is found where there is love which is something that cannot be bought. Not even $1,000,000 can give a person complete happiness.