Money is an essential ingredient for a better life

Money on its own cannot fully satisfy most people, but it is an essential ingredient to happiness. We need it to do just about anything — it gives us power, freedom and security.

While it might be socially correct to say that there are more important things in life and that we should not be too materialistic, but we also need to be realistic and understand that we need money for everything. Without it there is only so much we can accomplish in life. The simplest example is illness, which on its own can ruin an entire family. How can anyone be completely satisfied knowing that they cannot afford health care for either themselves or their children if they were the least bit ill or injured?

Education is also essential for a better life and needs investment. It is nice to be content with what God has given us and be thankful for it, but that does not mean we should not strive for more. If a country teaches its people to be satisfied with what they have, that might make them happy temporarily, but problems may also arise as people begin to face difficulties getting basic human requirements. Being too satisfied kills people's motivation to work harder, which in turn limits the development of the entire nation. People still need to aim for a better life, for their sake and for the sake of their country.

— The reader is a mass communication student living in Sharjah.