Can Money Buy Us Happiness Rhetorical Analysis

The author of the article, “You Can Buy Happiness, If It’s An Experience” stated many different ideas and thoughts on happiness. He stated that the anticipation waiting for a trip trumps buying the latest things. He proves multiple studies that show that an experience provides more happiness than the newest iphone. He also states that the build up waiting for a trip is improved due to your imagination. He disproves the saying “money can’t buy you happiness”. I agree with the author, because the points that he makes I have experienced.

Michael Norton, the TED Talk speaker, discussed “How to Buy Happiness.” Norton is a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School; he has also studied psychology. Furthermore, Norton did research on whether spending money on oneself or on others can make a person happy. According to him, people who spend money on others are happier than those who spend money on themselves. He wanted to convince his audience that happiness is in sharing or giving to others. First, he gained the attention of his public by starting his speech with humor. Similarly, he has conducted various surveys on how two groups of people, who felt differently, spend money on others like charity or giving gifts from different countries like Uganda and Canada. Although Norton’s attempts at stablishing credibility were somewhat ineffective, his arguments were mostly effect because of his use of logos and pathos.

As Begley “When people buy something they try to pay as little for it as they can” (p. 1). Therefore, I agree that money sometimes can bring happiness while there are a lot of things which people cannot have it with money. The author states that people enjoy when they get something on sale, and they feel happy when they spend less money for. Also, the author mentions how money can affect people who are poor and give them happiness; however, rich people gather money to increase their wealth. Sharon also writes about the survey, which how people consider their happiness.

The texts, “High incomes don’t bring you Happiness” and “You can buy Happiness, if it’s an Experience”, completes the idea that monetary value does not bring true joy. In the passage, “High incomes don’t bring you Happiness”, the author states that bringing in an over excessive amount of money will not make one happy. The author said that an overall income of around $75,000 will complete one’s emotional well being, while anything over that will complete a life evaluation. Life evaluation is the idea that if one was to look at themselves while they’re in their deathbed, how would they rate their lifestyle. This is also supported through different statements within the passage, “You can buy Happiness, if it’s an Experience”. Within this study, it was proven that people enjoyed money, but often spent it on materialistic items which leaves them with a temporary feeling of satisfaction, while when they are given a fully paid trip to the Bahamas, the feeling of peace and joy lasts far longer than when they were to purchase an item of materialistic value. This

In “On the Want of Money”, a 19th century text, William Hazzlit presents a strong position on the role of currency in society and the ironic relationship between man and his status through use of rhetoric; such as but not limited to syntax, repetition, and imagery. In doing so, Hazzlit strengthens his argument and gives more weight to his claims that support the idea that in possession of money and lack thereof man is miserable in his ways. Ownership leaves man alienated from friends and family, to be commemorated by a lonely, seldom frequented monument of massive proportions. Austerity dictates lives, limiting those in pursuit of wealth to a constant, consuming search. In summation, the concept of money is hopeless

The saying ‘money can’t buy you happiness’ is very accurate. A key example of this can be seen in many studies done on people’s lives after they win the lottery. Approximately seventy percent of people who win end up unhappy, some even eventually commit suicide. Those with new found wealth often discover some people are only around for their money. According to studies, it’s common for the wealthy to feel that they are superior to people of a lower class, they can also feel a sense of entitlement. These traits can put a strain on their relationships with other people. In the pages that follow this paper will explain that possessing material items such as money, may bring temporary satisfaction, but cannot provide someone with true happiness.

I agree with your consequences of economic well being and how it has a large impact on American workers in the lower class since migrant workers will work for less money making them more appealing. In my post I also brought up how migration is often scene as negative however that is not always the case, younger migrants are extremely well educated and productive workers that companies are looking for. I didn’t think of the point of view you mentioned, “If employers are able to pay less for migrant workers, they will have more money to either pay higher wages to more educated works for higher level positions, or retain higher profits” which when you think of it that way migration does not have the negative connotation. Revisiting

The rhetorical factors in the article “Buying Experiences, Not Things” written by James Hamblin are clear and easy to decipher. The article discusses the psychological factors in a human of being happy. Psychologists and scientists are constantly doing research and studies trying to determine how the brain works, and how people’s minds function every day of their lives. Whether its sleep, knowledge, substance abuse or functions of each part of the brain, every little piece of information gathered helps complete the bigger picture. Emotions are a popular study in psychology. Psychologists are trying to find a way to measure the emotions of people that occur on a daily basis. Research is also being done in search of a form of measurement to measure people’s happiness. Happiness is considered to be an important factor in life.

"Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has, the more one wants." (Benjamin Franklin). We are never satisfied when we are focused on objects as opposed to fulfillment in life. People are constantly striving for fulfillment, we always want the next big thing, the latest and greatest, life has become a competition for who “seems” the most fulfilled. True fulfillment comes from within. It’s not always material things or luxurious lifestyles that money can buy, it’s more deep than that its pure happiness and satisfaction for attaining your own personal goals and achievements.

The beautiful smile. The joyous laugh. The smiling eyes. The high pitched voice. All describe the characteristics of one being happy. Benjamin Franklin once stated “money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.”. In turn that quote has been a center of debates for centuries. Conversing over the debatable topic in which happiness does or does not extend from money. In a society such as the twentieth century, happiness is evidently reflected by wealth. Therefore, happiness is influenced by the amount of wealth that corresponds to the way one uses their money.

It is often said that, “Money can’t buy happiness.” In Cass R. Sunstein’s Yes, Money Can Make You Happy, Sunstein provides a summary and review of Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton’s Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending; he declares that money, when spent wisely and with the right attitude, can provide the most elusive of all human experiences: happiness. In a changing social climate with advances in technology offering unmatched convenience, and a culture in which diverse people with equally diverse sets of values come together, the study of what truly makes us happy is especially relevant now more than ever. While money can certainly be spent in a manner which will create happiness, what Sunstein neglects to address in his writing is that more money does not always equate to more happiness, regardless of how and when it is spent.

Whoever said money can’t buy happiness? Today, the argument can be made that happiness and consumerism are directly linked. It is fair to say that happiness is a relative term for different people. However, the obtaining of new and shiny things has become such a part of everyday life, that it provides happiness when people are purchasing something new, and causes sadness when no buying is taking place. For many, it seems to be a protective coating against the harsh realities of everyday stresses from a job, or family life.

The happiest experiences often involve people we care about, and thus taps into human beings’ greatest source of meaning”(Moeller). When you spend money on trips you make some memories that you will most likely remember for a life time. Memories that a person can look back at and think about. Memories that can bring a smile to your face. All of these memories you get from taking a trip basically come down to some money you invested. Investing money to make memories that will make you happy is worth it because people just don’t forget memories. Memories are priceless, they can never be taken away from you. This is just one example on how money can bring you happiness.

In the book “Money can buy Happiness” tells about spending money on important and substantial things that bring us long lasting happiness. It provide some helpful information and tips which can be applied in our daily living. If you want to find out how to put together the most of your money in order to get a good and happy life (good return on investment). This book also creates awareness of how we spend our money, investments and savings wisely. For those who wants to analyze whether their spending habits align with their values, this book can be an eye opener for them.

When you hear the word happiness, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Do you think of material possessions like designer clothes and accessories, the newest iPhone with the highest possible storage capacity, or a shiny red supercar? Do you think the amount of money you have or your current financial status has an effect on how happy you are? Plenty of college students, myself included, would associate happiness with possessing items like these or just having a lot of money in general. In today’s society, one common belief about social class is that the richer and more money or things that one has, the happier this will make them. This belief is reinforced by countless advertisements we see and hear everywhere, whether that be on