"What's so bad about being poor?" Charles Murray

After his explanation of the first thought experiment, Charles Murray asks in the article "Does this thought experiment fail when it is transported to the United States?" and the answer is yes. Poverty, like many other aspects of life, is defined based on one's culture, upbringing, and environment, among other aspects.  It is clear that a person who lives in Thailand will not consider him or herself poor if they do not have the newest iPhone or an over-the-top expensive car. But, even though many people in America don't consider themselves poor without those things, they may be greatly held back without them. This is where the environment plays a role in one's definition of poverty. If a person in the United States wants to attend college in order to better themselves and further go on to get a degree in order to get a job, it is very hard, if not nearly impossible, for them to do so without possessing technology such as a cell phone, computer and internet. They are at a great disadvantage compared to others who have all those things and more. Because of this lack of material things, it will be much harder for them to succeed and be able to get a job that will support their family. But, in Thailand, where all that people need is the determination to work hard and earn their living as a farmer for example, such technologies are useless to them. That is why poverty is defined differently all over the world. 

It is also important to notice how the author puts an emphasis on all the thought experiments by saying "imagine what it would be like for you". It may be hard for some people my age to see themselves in the situations presented here, especially for those who grew up privileged and have not needed to work nor have ever had any major hardships to overcome in their life, but it is also important to recognize that people do grow up in the environments presented- that they are not just an outrageous creation of one's mind- and they live happy lives. For some it is hard to imagine living in South Bronx and trying to raise a child with the right morals if all they are surrounded by is bad morals, but morals are something that is passed on from generation to generation and it is not monetary. Beneatha from A Raisin in the Sun grew up in a poor, uneducated neighborhood, yet that did not stop her from trying to become a doctor. She had enough heart and morals to know that she doesn't have to end up like everyone else in her neighborhood. This is just one example of how one's mindset matters more than their monetary situation when it comes to being successful. 

So, to sum up this article, no, money does not guarantee happiness, but it certainly aids in the pursuit of success, especially in a country like America where education is often an expensive privilege that cannot be afforded by everyone.  At the end of the article, the author suggests that money is not important in the pursuit of happiness, which is true, but it certainly aids in the pursuit of success which leads to security and happiness.