In the science of psychology, there have been many tests that demonstrate that there is no physical point in life where a subject can achieve pure enlightenment, contentment, or complete satisfaction of mind and body. This supports the claim that money cannot buy happiness. Although this idea is very popular, could it be disproved? It seems natural that happiness comes from having more money. Could material possessions actually increase a person's happiness? In his essay titled "On Dumpster Diving", Lars Eighter talks about his experience of being homeless and having to resort to living off other people's unwanted possessions to survive. “Some material things are white elephants that devour the substance of the possessor” (Eighner 263). It is true that a person cannot physically go and buy some happiness, he must obtain it. “How” a subject would achieve happiness or “pure happiness” is the ultimate unanswered question. If a person went out and bought a bunch of items, furniture, jewelry, cars, would that make them more satisfied with themselves? Maybe it would be, maybe not. One of the questions this essay addresses is: over time all the objects that someone buys, takes or consumes to supposedly make them "happy", over time if this experiment did not work as intended, a person over time would not start to be consumed and overwhelmed from all these material things. “…but certainly mental things have lived longer than other material things” (264). Although these statements by Lars Eighter agree that some material possessions would consume a person in a negative way and therefore possess them, it is almost ironic because Eightner lived on the streets and it was almost impossible for him... middle of paper... to shape our screw. In conclusion, whether material possessions bring happiness or not depends on each individual. Some people are simply satisfied with saving up to buy that new car, and some are equally satisfied with putting their ideas and dreams into a blank book, or simply highlighting their favorite. Work cited Adler, Mortimer. “How to Mark a Book.” The Mercury Reader. Ed. Janice Neuleib, Keathleen S Cain, Stephen Ruffus and Maurice Scharton. Boston: Pearson Custom Pub., 2005. 211-16.Eighner, Lars (1992) “On Dumpster Diving,” New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 7. Web. June 27, 2015. http://scholarworks.umb.edu/nejpp/vol8/iss1/7Boven, Leaf Van and Gilovich, Thomas. "To have or to have? That is the question." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. American Psychological Association, Inc., 2003. 1193.