Billionaires Argue Money Can’t Buy Happiness, But Can Buy Really Big Sad Faces

KEY POINTS

•On February 2026, Elon Musk tweeted that money can’t buy happiness, gathering over 92.8 million views on X.
•Mark Cuban responded the same day, saying money only amplifies who you are while easing financial stress.
•Research shows happiness rises with income but plateaus, needing purpose for the ultrawealthy beyond financial gains.

On February 2026’s Thursday, Elon Musk dropped a sad-face emoji on X, tweeting 'Whoever said money can’t buy happiness really knew what they were talking about,' sparking a viral 92.8 million-view frenzy that proved misery loves company—especially billionaire company. Mark Cuban, ranking a humble #372 on Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index with a casual $9.62 billion, countered bluntly, asserting money just amplifies your inner happiness or misery but slashes financial stress like a pricey budget therapist. University of Leicester’s David Bartram chimed in, revealing happiness plateaus after a few million, with the ultra-rich needing purpose to feel better—because apparently, Bill Gates can’t just buy more good vibes. Meanwhile, Wharton’s Matthew Killingsworth found happiness’s money threshold is an elusive target, kind of like finding purpose in a pile of Tesla stock. Musk once advised being a net contributor to society, but mostly, billionaires just proved even $10 billion can’t fix a bad mood or Twitter’s comment section.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

When billionaires start debating if money buys happiness, remember: they’re probably never had to split a $2 check at a bar. Spoiler: it’s still complicated.

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