Tag: Issues

Does money buy happiness?

Posted on by Jahnavi Dhir

I used to think that if I got rich, I would be magically happier.

– Emma Chamberlain

“When I was younger, my answer would’ve have been- yes. I always had everything I need(ed). I had an incredible childhood, but I was always comparing myself to the rich kids at school. It made me feel angry and resentful because their lives seemed easy. Even though my life was incredible. But I still felt bad because I didn’t come from money.”

This is a rough extract from Emma Chamberlain’s podcast. And this is the experience of many children growing up. She goes on to mention how when she had just started making money as a 17 year old, the luxuries she could afford further solidified her belief. But nonetheless, the question still stands, Does money buy you happiness. Well for starters one has to identify what happiness means to them. Is happiness in saving millions for an early retirement. Is it spending quality time with your loved ones. Or is it in meeting the societal demand of a big house, bigger bank account?

For many people, happiness is complex, and as human nature goes, the concept of happiness is every evolving among most populations. From wanting a good nice Hyundai to maybe the cheaper SUV to the next new Ferrari, our wants never stop. And for a second; objectively thinking, that is a good thing. If our aspirations go dormant, so does our will to live and explore. Now, that is not ideal is it? Our goals and hunger to achieve them are not only respondent to our own self image but are also vital for the company we work with, or the people we love. Having no goals is reflective of a sad, sad life. But again, if sadness lies in not wanting anything, is happiness the opposite of it? Wanting all and always?

Well, no. The theory of humanity has always been in  extremeties. We love to believe that it’s all black and white. But ironically, the most interesting thing that we are yet to explore in the human brain is the grey matter. The part that is neither black nor white. Having said that, it is the truth that when your basic necessities are met you will be happy. There is no doubt that someone with a small cramped apartment and having barely any money to feed themselves will not be nearly as happy as someone who doesn’t have to worry about the next meal and the electricity bill next month. The freedom of travel that money gives you. The liberty of having access to quality health care these are all immeasurable. But still, what is happiness? 

Many believe that it is a subjective question impossible to answer. I dont. I think that happiness is when a person does not have to worry about much in their lives. It is not possible to live a stress free life. Stress is not a one off event. It is engrained in our living and you cannot imagine to live without it. But again, happiness, I believe, is when you can stop working for a few days when you dont feel well, you can afford quality education for your kids, provide yourself with good opportunities; when you have a nice little backyard with a dog and life doesn’t feel like living on thorns all the time. Financial independence is not overrated. Pseudo happiness lies in the macro luxuries. In the best red car, in the diamond studded gowns. Things that can wear with time. Education, experiences and moments remain forever, bags and houses they rust and wither. The beauty fades the brain remains. 

So, does money buy you happiness? Yes and no. Because sure it can give you the freedom to explore, resources to have memories and experiences that you otherwise would have missed out on, but on the other hand, in the pursuit of making said money, you may loose on the people you can share the experiences with. Making huge money often has a pattern. 4 wives, 7 kids, all from different wives and girlfriends. You might earn a good amount but you have no family to share the money with. The only leverage is, with insane money, you can buy friends. And the thing is, in todays date, money isn’t that hard to find, but authentic relationships and experiences are worth the world, the world and beyond. 

what is anything anyways??

Posted on by Jahnavi Dhir

I overthink. I believe most of us do, or at least have, at some point. or you know those shower thoughts. or like late night weird ass things you question about the planet? like what if an alien attack happened RIGHT NOW, what would I do? or like if I was robbed RIGHT NOW what would be my escape plan? and sometimes your brain tricks you into thinking that this the best use of your time. to make an escape plan, of your own house. but my overthinking has a ✨variety✨

I can think of anything from ‘what if I met harry styles’ to ‘what if I had a more, chilled out family?’ and the last thought stuck with me, for a little while. what if my parents were the more traditional. the more normal kind? what if my brother was more calm and laid back? what if my grandparents were more involved in my life? what if I made more effort in relationships? and so many other ‘what ifs’

these thoughts are overwhelming to say the least. and honestly, they are tiring and a waste of your precious time on this planet, but I understand that it is hard to stop them, they are like this pesky little insect that just won’t leave you. and its hard because people may mistake your obsessive thoughts with being philosophical. which ok to be fair, in my case im kinda like this overdramatic wattapad fantasy writer?? I mean, I basically overdramatise every little thing.

anyways, like I was saying, stoping these thoughts is a long hard process, and im not a psychologist so I won’t even try to mention any techniques, though I’ll mention a few links that might help, right here

but sometimes, we do question everything. our economic status, do we deserve it? or do we deserve less or more? we might even question what it means to be a young adult? to be ourselves? to have friends, or family? at least I did question all of them-

here’s a tiny tad bit of a long poem with everything and nothing all at once. I meant nothing and every damn word in this poem : D

What is anything anymore?

Sometimes I question 
What would be my state
If I had a normal family
Would I still be up at 3 
Overthinking?
Or would my papa 
With his angelic voice
Put me to sleep?
Would he still be drinking away
All his problems 
Or would be he up and awake
And try to make a way 
For his children?
Would my mom be crying
Because she hates her husband
Or would they be a team
Like they promised in their vows
Reality is nothing anymore
People can change with the blink of an eye 
And that is freaking scary 
To be 15 
And know things that shouldn’t be known until later on in life
You grow up faster,
Correction, you are forced to grow up faster
And you loose yourself in the process
What is you anymore?
Do you cry 
Or not? 
Do you smile
Or not?
Do you think of magical fairytales
Or not?
What are you anymore?
You lost yourself 
The second your father 
Raised his bottle to his lips
The same sound that once comforted you
Keeps you awake
Wondering
Worrying
What comes next?
15 year olds shouldn’t be thinking about making money, right?
15 year olds shouldn’t be up at 4 am thinking of a plan to run away, right?
15 year olds shouldn’t be crying silently when the world is sleeping, right?
But what is a 15 year old anymore?
13 year olds shouldn’t hate the man who brought them to life, 
13 year olds shouldn’t be making comics of himself in a world without his father
13 year olds shouldn’t be wishing on someones death
13 year olds shouldn’t have to see their hero drown himself in whiskey and beer, gambling away and crying when he lost
But what is a kid anymore?
A wife shouldn’t want to leave her husband
A wife shouldn’t want to seek for divorce
A wife shouldn’t have to ask her husband to leave their children alone
Correction, her children alone
But what is a working mother anymore?
A husband shouldn’t have to ask her wife for money to gamble away
A hero shouldn’t have to miss out on his child’s life for liquor
A father should have to be the kind of man her daughter would want for herself not the kind of man she is told to stay away from 
But what is a father
What is a messed up husband anymore?
What are friends anymore?
The ones that leave when things get too messy?
Or the ones who stay
And make things worse?
What is family anymore?
The blood that connects them
Or the money that blinds their filthy actions?
At this point I’ve started to question 
Every thing I’ve ever known 
And for that I’m grateful 
Because I’ve known wrong
And treated them as rights
Its time I realise
That nothing is black and white
And nothing is anything anymore.

bye snakers, meet ya later 🐍

Street kids.

Posted on by Jahnavi Dhir

The forgotten ones.

In today’s hustle and bustle, we generally seem to forget about the society and it’s components. It’s a complex structure and needs a lot of attention. Majority of our society consists of children. Some privileged and some on the verge of ruins.

Children are sought to be future saviours. They have the opportunity to change the way society functions and to improve all the negative impacts humankind has made on our planet, but what if a major chunk of these children are left malnourished and ill?


Children whose parents are well, earning and able to provide, live a healthy and happy lifestyle, while those who are left to rot by their parents or whose parents are no longer alive have to face the ugliness of homelessness from a very young age. Even if they have extraordinary talents, they will never be able to utilise them for the betterment of themselves or society. This is an issue that impedes the development of a nation and humanity as a whole. Children are sometimes forced to live on the streets, eat scraps of other people and earn almost nothing. Even though the government has planned for these sort of children, the benefits haven’t been able to reach all.

Education has been made compulsory for all children under the age of 14, but many just don’t have the resources to reach schools themselves. Let alone gain education. Even though the government has made schemes for them, it isn’t enough because it’s rarely implemented in real life. The people should do more, the government should try harder, to provide kids with a better livelihood and lifestyle. To give enough funds to orphanages, and NGOs. People should be more aware of these issues, because when a person is aware, they will be more willing to help out. Books and clothes will be donated in greater quantities, and eventually, help more children. Adoption should be encouraged and taboos revolving around adoption should be discontinued. Upon doing these small actions, our society can make a great impact, because eventually, the society of the future is in the palm of the people living in the current era.