Money is not the most important thing in life

Money is certainly something which is often discussed in today’s world. Hardly a day goes by without the subject of money being raised in most people’s lives. However, it is highly debatable whether it is more important than other considerations, such as health and happiness, which some people consider to be of greater significance. To begin with, it is often argued that having money enables poeple to exert influence over others. Wealthy businessmen, for example, are often the most highly respected members of society, and business tycoons are often consulted by world leaders, who then make policies which affect the whole population. As a consequence, money can be seen as the single most important factor in daily life. Secondly, from the point of view of the individual, money is vital for survival. Western society is structured in such a way that, without money, people are deprived of the means to obtain proper nutrition and health care.

Furthermore, in some cases where state benefits are inadequate, the inability to pay heating bills can indeed become a matter of life and death. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that according to Social Services, the majority of deaths due to hypothermia each winter occur among low-income groups. On the other hand, many people claim that one of the factors in life which is undoubtedly of greater importance than money is health. As Izaak Walton said, health is ” a blessing that money cannot buy”. What is more, money is of little consolation to those who are suffering from health problems. Despite the fact that money can pay for the best medical care available, this is no guarantee of a longer life.

In addition, most people would agree that personal happiness easily outweighs money in importance. Even if an individual is extremly rich, this does not necessarily lead to happiness. In some cases, the contrary is true and vast wealth brings with it a whole range of problems and insecurities. Genuine happiness cannot be bought and is usually independent of financial status. On the whole, although there are those who would rank money as the single most important thing in life, the vast majority would disagree. Money, they argue, has an important part to play but perhaps the world would be a more harmonious place to live in if this were kept in proportion and society put more emphasis on moral issues.