The Loss Of Happiness In The American Dream

Alec Rees

Mr. Ambrosio

English 12

14 December 2020

Do you ever think about what it means to be truly happy? With the hustle and bustle of current day America, today’s world can often be very overwhelming and stressful. Many people easily lose sight of their goals and what is truly important in life. The majority of American people are under the impression that happiness comes from something other than themselves. Are they correct? Or could it be that true happiness comes from within?

The American Dream is an ideal in which the freedom of the United States allows for opportunity and success. It is this ideal in which people think that living in the United States will allow for a person to be happy. The pursuit of happiness is changing in today’s society. Most people believe that success and happiness have a direct relationship with each other. Oftentimes, people believe that happiness is a result of one's success. If a person is successful, they will have the ability to be happy; however, this ideology is incorrect. The ideology of the American Dream and the happiness it brings is evermore falsified as mankind continues to advance and progress. It is because of America’s increasing standards, sought-after approval, and increased materialism that the American Dream presents false feelings of happiness among people.

People in today’s society constantly seek social approval and validation. It is the constant want and need to reach other people’s standards that leads to the decline in people’s happiness. Based on research recommendations that have been made, “Professor Mauss recommends that happiness seekers learn to lower their expectations--to not demand elation and exuberance when contentment and calmness would bring more inner peace” (Drwal). Social Media presents people with extremely high expectations of what happiness should look like. As proven by Professor Mauss, these high expectations ultimately lead to the decline in one's happiness when they struggle to reach unreasonable expectations. In addition to this, the advancement in technology has not helped to increase people’s happiness in the U.S.. The author of the article, “Don't Buy That New Gadget” states that “Despite the fantastic increase in the prosperity of the United States since World War II, most Americans are no happier today than they were in 1947 (when happiness surveys began).” Significant developments in technology have integrated and evolved with society. Technology has enabled people access too many things that they otherwise would not have had easy access to. The abundance of access that technology allows us adds new factors of stress and concern into our lives that otherwise were not previously there. In the book 1984 the perceptions of happiness outline those of today. The author states, “Day and night the telescreens bruised your ears with statistics proving that people today had more food, more clothes, better houses, better recreations—that they lived longer, worked shorter hours, were bigger, healthier, stronger, happier, more intelligent, better educated, than the people of fifty years ago” (Orwell 74). The telescreens used in 1984 were a huge advancement to technology of the time. Telescreens have prevented people from being truly happy. The telescreens are a means of propaganda that prevents the citizens of 1984 from actually doing what they enjoy and restricts people's emotions from what they truly feel. People’s strong desire to see advancement in technology has ultimately caused social issues that diminish true happiness within oneself.

The standards of American Society are rapidly rising and evolving. Current day society expects much more, bigger and better things than past generations. People are quick to equate money and happiness. As it has been reported, “It's time we admitted that there's more to life than money and it's time we focused not just on GDP but on GWB--general well-being" (Ghent). Research has shown that GDP is an inaccurate way to measure the success and happiness of a country. The more money that people have does not mean that they are happy and satisfied with their life. In addition, financial advisors have found the trend that, “Many people spend most of what they earn maintaining a lifestyle. It is called: keeping up with the Joneses” ("Keeping up with the Joneses"). As society increases its standards the phrase keeping up with the Joneses is evermore relevant. The majority of people are falling into this trap that leads to an overall trend in declining happiness. A person that is not in the financial position to own and have certain things can ultimately cause financial issues and stress. People must learn to manage happiness for themselves. In order to be happy, “We must pursue the ability to relax into life by ridding ourselves of grasping, comparisons, rationalizations, envy, ‘must haves’, silly needs, and such; pursuing a simple life built around what is most important--usually relationships” (Sutherland). Simplicity is a huge factor in one’s happiness. By conforming to societal standards constantly on the upswing, many people find themselves unable to relax. The high standards of American society are often unreasonably high and guide people towards unhealthy, unhappy lifestyles.

True happiness is being blocked by materialism and people’s ability to easily replace things in today's world. Studies have shown that, “People who are materialistic tend to have lower levels of happiness, generosity, and self-satisfaction and a higher risk of anxiety and negative behaviors than people who don't care as much about possessions” (Christopher). When people consume themselves with material objects they oftentimes lose sight of how to find happiness without these things. If people could be given whatever they ask for the question and response is stated as , “...Would you now be happy? Indeed, you'd be euphoric, in the short run. But gradually you would adapt to your new circumstance and life would return to its normal mix of emotions. To recover the joy, you would now need an even higher high” (Myers). Undoubtedly, the feelings of happiness fill one's body when they are given or have what they want. The issue arises that when you are given materialistic things this happiness only lasts for a very short time period. After this time is up we seek to want the next bigger and better thing. True happiness can never be reached in this constant ongoing cycle where good is never good enough. When it comes down to it, “Many find themselves thinking they need the material things in life, but comfort and niceties drain cash, put undue strain on us and our business and fail to add to our happiness and security” (“Happiness Is Not Leisure, It Is Victory”). There is a balance between needs and wants. When a person has too many wants in their life it takes away from the value of what is truly important. Instead of benefiting ourselves we further diminish ourselves from living a life full of happiness when we become attached with material objects.

Happiness is not a result of the ideology of the American Dream, rather it is something that a person must learn to find themselves. The American Dream provides people with the hope to become successful; however, success does not equate to happiness. As people of society seek social approval and validation, follow the rising standards of society, and become more materialistic, it is clear happiness is being diminished. Society is following a path very much like the one that Orwell fears in 1984. The progression of society in current day America is worrying more about the life around them then worrying about their own well being. American society must make it clear to its descendants that happiness is only created by oneself and not by the sought after American Dream.

Works Cited

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Alec ReeseFebruary 25, 2021