Success vs. Money By: Samantha Miller Abigail Hust Krysten Scott

Why do humans feel obligated to have money in order to live a successful life? According to Society’s standards, success is defined by how much money a person obtains.

Pressure to Succeed Parents put pressure on kids to succeed in order to continue the “legacy” of doctors within the family in order to be successful ("Demanding Parents”) In today’s society, in order to be successful, you have to have a big house, nice car, nice clothes. Pressure from society’ standards.. Wanting to have the newest clothes, the biggest house…(Thoreau) Because society categorizes the big house and fancy car as being successful, most humans try hard to prove to society that they are fortunate can have the things that make them “ fit in”.

Effects of Pressure to Succeed Stress ("Stress Management”) In college, students are too focused on having loans for an education ("Stress Management”) Worrying about looking successful to others ("Demanding Parents”) Worrying about having enough money to pay for college ("Stress Management”) Worrying about paying back loans for an education ("Stress Management”) Because humans feel the need to succeed, it causes them to stress and worry about not having money, enough money, and/or things related to money.

Money In order to become a doctor, you first have to go to college where money then becomes a barrier to succeed ("Stress Management”) Have to have money in order to get an education ("Does More Money Matter?”) Have to have an education to get a high-paying job ("Does More Money Matter?“) In society, if you have a high-paying job, you are then considered successful Money becomes the prime issue in most families. Having money makes one look successful according to society’s standards, therefore there is pressure from society to graduate, go to college, and get a good job.

Effects of Money Corrupts the real meaning of life (Thoreau) Become obsessed with money Worry about the monetary value of everything, instead of the true value (Thoreau) Fitting into the “social standards” ("Demanding Parents”) Because of the greed for money and the “look” for success, it causes stress in some lives. It also causes one to not obtain the true value of life, because they are too focused on the materialistic things and the monetary value.

Conclusion Because society makes it a big deal of who is the most fortunate, people go out of their way to make sure they have the “look” or “fit in” with society. People make sure they display to society their monetary value by having a big house, a nice car, and the newest clothes.. Therefore according to society, if they have money, they are successful !

Works Cited "Demanding Parents and the Effects on Their Children." HubPages. N.p., 12 Sept Web. 21 Feb Thoreau, Henry David. “Economy.” Walden. "Stress Managment." N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb Ware, Michelle. "Does More Money Matter?" Mdrc.org. Reshmab Patel, n.d. Web. Mdrc.org