Expressing my views on the relation between wealth and happiness. Photo inspired by zemotion's The Queen and David Yurman jewelry ads.

My apprentice at work seems to think that having money automatically makes you happy. He makes a point beyond the obvious--purchasing power isn't what makes you happy, rather it's the freedom to spend more time doing what you want rather than doing boring things to put bread on the table. At least I think this was the point he was trying to make. He used some examples of celebrities before he explained himself, leading me to launch a debate about these people possibly being happy because they like their work and they also have good friends and family.

I blame my cynicism on the fact that I have always been comfortable, which gave me a degree of satisfaction, but I have not necessarily always been happy. Maybe it's family values. My parents tried their best not to spoil my sister and I, and as a result I think they slightly deprived us when we were younger. Having dust allergies probably helped--I wasn't allowed to have many stuffed toys.

Conversely, my apprentice has two cell phones, spends at least three hours a day playing games on those phones as well as the computer and when he goes to college he wants his mother to buy him a gold toned laptop because no one else will have one quite like his. (Forgive the rantiness--sometimes he really gets under my skin.)

Please comment!