Material success only matters for happiness to the degree that it alleviates wants/needs. Truthfully, if you don't buy into all the things society says you sho

Material success only matters for happiness to the degree that it alleviates wants/needs. Truthfully, if you don't buy into all the things society says you should want, you can live on a startlingly small sum of money, and be genuinely happy. The brutal trap is people who chase wealth as a proxy for social status; as you become more successful your peer group tends to change, so you never get ahead of the curve.