It's how Americans think life works (I've fallen victim to it as well).
money and happiness are correlated.
that doesnt mean that wealth is the only factor of happiness, nor is it the strongest. but it is correlated.
I wonder though if there is a sweet spot—a goldilocks degree of wealth. Too much wealth becomes a burden itself.
Is there a linear relationship between wealth and happy? Someone 10× as wealthy as another person—10× happier?
I suspect not.
the happiest part of my life was when I had nothing materially (but no debt, just basically at zero, making enough to live paycheck to paycheck)