It's not the actual cash. Money is actually worthless in and of itself, it's the using of it that makes it worthwhile.

Money gets you access to resources to MAKE things, that is why R&D takes so much money. You have to pay a lot of people to think and work hard - only if it's your money you can pay them to think and work hard on YOUR idea and YOUR dream.

Money also gets you the ability to influence change, politically or otherwise. Right or wrong that is how it works, and deciding you are better than that and not playing the game won't stop that from being true - all that will mean is that it will be that much harder for you to actually influence.

So no, money is worthless, it's the things you can do with it that will find your contentedness.

Many of the things we all find contentedness through can be purchased with cash. I for one would love to take a multi-year round-the-world trip with my partner, or own a house and a grand piano I could use without having to worry about neighbors. Does that make me a materialistic hedonist?