You’ve probably heard the phrase “money can’t buy happiness” before. It’s a common saying that reminds us that the best things in life are free. But when we look at the World Happiness Report, which comes out every year and gets a lot of attention from the media, we see that people in wealthy countries tend to be the happiest. Research has also shown that individual wealth is closely linked to how satisfied people are with their lives. Some studies even suggest that very wealthy individuals tend to report higher life satisfaction than those who are just moderately wealthy.
So, which is true: the greeting cards that tell us money doesn’t buy happiness, or the data that shows a clear correlation between wealth and life satisfaction? This question is both fascinating and important, especially for someone like me who studies how human behavior impacts sustainability. It makes me wonder if economic growth is really necessary for human well-being. Are we sacrificing the health of our planet in pursuit of wealth because we believe that more money equals more happiness?
To dig deeper into this question, I teamed up with an anthropologist, Viki Reyes-García, from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. We decided to study the happiness of people who don’t rely on money as much to see if they are truly happy. Our survey focused on small-scale societies living in various environments across five continents. These communities, many of whom identify as Indigenous, depend on their local ecosystems for their livelihood and don’t use money in their daily lives.
Despite having very little money, the people in these small-scale societies reported being just as satisfied with their lives as people in wealthier countries. In fact, some communities reported even higher levels of satisfaction than the national average in many wealthy nations. This goes against the common belief that wealth is necessary for happiness.
Our findings suggest that while money does play a role in life satisfaction, it’s not the only factor. Social relationships, connection to nature, and a sense of community all contribute to overall well-being. In these small-scale societies, where people spend their days in close contact with nature and have strong social ties, material wealth doesn’t seem to be a prerequisite for happiness.
This research challenges the idea that economic growth is the key to human well-being. While money is essential for meeting basic needs, our study shows that it’s possible to lead a happy and fulfilling life with much less material wealth than we typically pursue in industrialized societies. By focusing on building strong communities, nurturing social connections, and reconnecting with nature, we may be able to increase overall satisfaction with life without chasing endless economic growth.
In conclusion, the pursuit of greater wealth may not be the only path to happiness. Learning from the successful features of small-scale societies, such as a focus on community and nature, could help us reshape our societies for the better. By prioritizing shared humanity over individual wealth, we may not only increase our own satisfaction with life but also secure a brighter future for all life on Earth.
