Pursuit of Happiness
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- Date Submitted: 02/08/2015 06:12 PM
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Pursuit of Happiness
The perception of happiness within the world is a complicated subject to address. There are many differences between countries, cultures, traditions, and so forth that ultimately impact overall happiness as it pertains to an individual. The western world tends to put more emphasis on material elements whereas other parts of the world see things a little differently.
As a natural born American citizen still living in the United States, my perception of the pursuit of happiness ultimately has to do with success. Not necessarily success in terms of money but in the amount of stuff that money can buy and how quickly income increases enabling people to buy more. The paradox of affluence suggests that increasing income does not necessarily mean increased happiness. In fact, in a survey done between 1947 and 1998 the average American level of mean life satisfaction remained at approximately 30%, even with the increases in household income over a period of 51 years. (Baumgardner, 2009) It would seem that the phrases “more money more problems” and “money can’t buy happiness” rings true in the United States.
Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy suggests that there are conditions that must be met before an individual will be able to experience overall happiness and well-being in life. The first set of needs are physiological, such as food, water, sex, and rest. The next level of needs address safety, shelter, and means of providing.(Baumgardner, 2009) It seems that once these items have been checked off the list people tend to lose sight of what is most important as they pursue the next levels of psychological, and self-fulfilling needs, this is especially evident in adult Americans. The society in which most Americans live is flooded with images and ideas of material items that are societal must haves. The impression given is that individuals aren’t worth anything unless they own the newest iPhone, vehicle, or luxury home. Maslow’s theory...
The perception of happiness within the world is a complicated subject to address. There are many differences between countries, cultures, traditions, and so forth that ultimately impact overall happiness as it pertains to an individual. The western world tends to put more emphasis on material elements whereas other parts of the world see things a little differently.
As a natural born American citizen still living in the United States, my perception of the pursuit of happiness ultimately has to do with success. Not necessarily success in terms of money but in the amount of stuff that money can buy and how quickly income increases enabling people to buy more. The paradox of affluence suggests that increasing income does not necessarily mean increased happiness. In fact, in a survey done between 1947 and 1998 the average American level of mean life satisfaction remained at approximately 30%, even with the increases in household income over a period of 51 years. (Baumgardner, 2009) It would seem that the phrases “more money more problems” and “money can’t buy happiness” rings true in the United States.
Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy suggests that there are conditions that must be met before an individual will be able to experience overall happiness and well-being in life. The first set of needs are physiological, such as food, water, sex, and rest. The next level of needs address safety, shelter, and means of providing.(Baumgardner, 2009) It seems that once these items have been checked off the list people tend to lose sight of what is most important as they pursue the next levels of psychological, and self-fulfilling needs, this is especially evident in adult Americans. The society in which most Americans live is flooded with images and ideas of material items that are societal must haves. The impression given is that individuals aren’t worth anything unless they own the newest iPhone, vehicle, or luxury home. Maslow’s theory...