For most, in modern-capitalism world, money is the first thing, and sometimes the only thing that measures success in life. Money can buy Power, fame, time and many more things. So money has become the first common goal for everyone. However, there are many other faces of success in life. For an athlete medals in Olympics, for an actress - Oscars, for a scientist - Nobel Prize, for a mathematician - Field Medal, for an author Booker -prize are life time achievements and may hold value far greater than money. For Joe it may be just number of connections on his Facebook account matters most.
It also matters how one want to measure success in life - by Money, materialistic achievements, relationship with fellows, spirituality, or any other means. But the question is whether without money person can survive and live a healthy and productive life. To have basic amenities of life – food, cloth, and shelter one needs money. To fulfill next level of needs – education, health and security one need bigger amount of money. As one reach out to fulfill higher level of needs, requirement of money increases exponentially. One never realizes when his desires turn into need and he requires more and more amount of money.
There is another twist. Wealth! Kind of money, which is at disposal but used to generate more money. One having access to this money tends to be more happy and living satisfactory life because his attention is more focused on non-monetary aspects of life. Money is working for him.
Just have a look at recent survey which measures happiest and saddest countries . In this ranking who are on the top and bottom? Countries having highest per capita income sit on the top while poorest counties populate bottom. Yes, it also true that top countries also has cultural and economic set up which promotes freedom.
What about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs . The bottom two sections of pyramids are highly correlated with amount of money and as we go up in the pyramid, correlation with money loosens up. But existence of higher sections of pyramids is irrelevant with bottom ones.
Bottom line of argument is who is judging success and on what scale. As old saying says – Money cannot buy everything but it can buy lot of things.