I think it's partially both. I believe there was a study about life satisfaction years ago that showed that after your basic needs are met, there is a law of diminishing returns that kicks in at a certain level. Like your first Porsche might thrill you and make you happy and the tenth might not be quite as thrilling. It doesn't solely depend on the outside or there wouldn't be such miserable rich folks. True, you could say they are miserable in better surroundings but I don't think that was the question.

Nelson Mandela and Viktor Frankl are two great men who made it through ******* circumstances with positive attitudes under deplorable conditions. Their strength, resilience and happiness and peace came from within.