Why Are Americans Unhappy?
4 days ago
- #Material Wealth
- #Cultural Shift
- #American Dream
- The US is the most successful country in terms of material wealth, with even the middle and working classes living lives comparable to past nobility.
- Despite material abundance, Americans are unhappy, with widespread despair, addiction, and political anger.
- The primary issue isn't economic deprivation but a cultural shift that prioritizes material wealth over community and meaning.
- The American Dream archetype emphasizes careerism and self-made success, but policy failures make it hard for the 'aspirational bottom' to achieve this dream.
- Inequality is more harmful in the US because the top earners are the benchmark, making the lack of progress more noticeable and frustrating.
- Childcare costs and the shift to dual-income households have added to the frustration, as the old division of labor no longer applies.
- Solutions include policy changes to support the aspirational bottom or a cultural shift away from careerism, though the latter is hard to mandate.
- Bad vibes stem from people feeling they're playing the game but not being rewarded as promised, leading to spiritual emptiness.