Obvious But Still Not Fully Absorbed Fact

Money ≠ Happiness

"Economies can blossom and grow only if people are deluded into believing that the production of wealth will make them happy … Economies thrive when individuals strive, but because individuals will strive only for their own happiness, it is essential that they mistakenly believe that producing and consuming are routes to personal well-being."

If money doesn’t make us happy, why do we act as if it does?

(Whether or not it's actually something wise or evitable to pursue happiness in life is another topic.)