Money Doesn't Buy Happiness

Earlier this week, I was reading an article about a note that recently sold for over $1 million. The note was from Albert Einstein to a Japanese mail deliverer, given in place of a tip. It consisted of two snippets of life advice, one of them being "a calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness."

If only Einstein met Gatsby and put that through his head.

Gatsby spent his whole life working towards one goal - Daisy. He participated in illegal activities to gain enough wealth to make himself socially acceptable for her. He threw giant parties all the time in the hopes that some day she would show up to one of them. And he purposefully selected his house "so that Daisy would be just across the bay" (78). In the end, all his efforts were fruitless; in a way, his entire life went to waste.
He lived here, though.
 Despite the fact that he had so much wealth, consistent with the materialistic ideals of the time, he was never really happy. Gatsby spent his life in "pursuit" of Daisy and was always "restlessly" waiting for her. He would have been infinitely happier if he let go of the past, accepted that he could never be with Daisy, and lived a "calm and modest life".

We should always be grateful for what we have, and try to find happiness in the little things rather than believe that we will only be happy after such-and-such occurs.

Listen to Einstein, don't be like Gatsby.

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 5, 2017 at 5:40 PM

    I totally agree with your point, I know a lot of us want to live a grand life, but sometimes a grand life isn't the best one. Overall Nice Post!

    ReplyDelete

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