I think happiness is actually a pretty complicated idea and people mean many different things by it. Is happiness pleasure? Fulfillment? Purpose? Is it a transitory psychological state or a deeper orientation? Or both? If we say money makes us happy, are we saying that money removes problems? That it enables positive experiences or material things that contribute to happiness? All of the above, or some combination of it?

Examining this topic with even two minutes of sustained attention and rigor revels the paucity of our discourse. Money contributes to happiness, but saying that money buys happiness is like saying not getting shot contributes to health. True, but there is so much more to the story.