Overview
- On February 5, Elon Musk posted on X that “money can’t buy happiness,” adding a sad emoji, with the message drawing tens of millions of views approaching 100 million.
- Coverage links the remark to fresh estimates putting his fortune near $852 billion following a reported $1.25 trillion combination of SpaceX and xAI.
- Online reaction mixed sharp sarcasm and requests for handouts with sympathetic replies that wealth doesn’t erase pressure or emotional strain.
- Mark Cuban countered that money amplifies who you are and eases financial stress without making unhappy people happy, while Bill Ackman urged greater philanthropy and personal grounding.
- Experts cited by outlets say happiness generally rises with income but shows steep diminishing returns at very high wealth, referencing work by David Bartram and Matthew Killingsworth.