This Just In: money doesn't buy happiness

It seems simple enough. Americans value material goods and property. Both of which require money to buy. More money = more 'stuff'. More stuff = more happiness, or does it?

According to a recent study published in George Washington Law Review, "Researchers who surveyed 6,200 lawyers about their jobs and health found that the factors most frequently associated with success in the legal field, such as high income or a partner-track job at a prestigious firm, had almost zero correlation with happiness and well-being. However, lawyers in public-service jobs who made the least money, like public defenders or Legal Aid attorneys, were most likely to report being happy." 

So maybe it's not how much money one can bring to the table. Maybe it is the way by which said money is acquired. Those who can look back on their career and think, "I helped somebody" or "I made society better" tend to be happier in their later lives. I am not at all surprised by the George Washington study. At the end of the day, it's quality over quantity. The 'cleaner' the money, the more satisfying it appears to be.