World's Richest Man Confirms Billions Can't Fix Existential Doom

KEY POINTS

•Elon Musk tweeted on February 5, 2026, that 'money can't buy happiness' with a sad-face emoji, despite being worth $668 billion.
•His wealth increased $49 billion this year thanks to SpaceX's valuation and merging with Musk's AI startup XAI.
•Sociologists and studies suggest money improves happiness up to a few million, after which gains diminish significantly.

On February 5, 2026, Elon Musk—the man whose bank account reads like a phone number at $668 billion—tweeted a sad-face emoji admitting money didn’t buy happiness. His fortune soared by $49 billion this year, mainly thanks to SpaceX’s sky-high valuation and a merger with Musk's AI passion project, XAI. Despite doubling second-richest Larry Page's $285 billion by more than twice, Musk channels philosopher-mode by quoting wisdom from a University of Leicester sociology professor: after a few million, happiness gains get stingier than Tesla’s self-driving promises. He admits the pursuit of happiness is less about cash and more about not being a total jerk. Meanwhile, a 2021 Wharton study suggested money raised joy levels like altar calls, but the ultra-rich like Musk might just be chasing an ever-moving happiness mirage—because nothing says 'happy' like being the world's richest man and still feeling 'whatever.'