There is a quote that goes:
"The person who said 'you can't by happiness' obviously never went starving."
Lack of money - poverty and destitution - causes extreme hardship and misery.
Money in itself doesn't bring happiness, but an easier survival can make life more bearable, and give a happier feeling can it not?
True happiness though, is IMO a perceptional choice. It is choosing to look at what you have, what you have experienced and who you are in a positive light rather than focussing on the negatives, that brings happiness.
A rich person can feel overworked, stressed, afraid of loosing what's been earned through stock crashes/theft, alone and unconnected or simply dissatisfied, in the same way a poor person can feel overworked, stressed, afraid of not earning enough to get by, alone, unconnected or disatisfied.
Am I right?
I'd choose happiness. Money without happiness would be like eating a meal you can't taste, or swimming in water you can't feel. It would be an empty gift wrapped box on christmas or a dry riverbed.
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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....
A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!