Born in 1929, the song by this name has become the unofficial theme song of the Democratic Party after its use by FDR during his 1932 campaign. But let's not digress; I am not here to discuss politics, however fascinating the subject may be. On the other hand, politicians' decisions may have a big influence on our happiness.
Of course, as we have seen before, happiness is a very personal event with its idiosyncratic components; in other words, every person has a different definition of what being happy means. If you ask any person in the street, in a sort of informal survey, whether they are happy, they are likely to send you packing. That's because most of us are (usually) not happy. Observe the faces in the crowd and you will probably see grouchy expressions.
We all put on our public mien when mixing with strangers; again, look at faces in the subway, on the commuter train, or even on the plane. Do you see any happiness there? Now try talking to perfect stranger next to you and you will get a perfunctory nod or grunt that says "I heard you, you are a stranger so I"ll show you the elementary courtesy I was raised to give, but nothing else'. We have become a nation of strangers who bottle up their emotions for fear of showing our real "Me" to others.
Happiness is an emotional state that is characterized by feelings of enjoyment, pleasure, and contentment. Showing happiness in public is reserved for children and lovers, not for well-educated adults. We have been trained to restrain the manifestation of emotions in public; is it any wonder that "shrinks" and the pharmaceutical industry are doing so well?
Yes, they sell "happiness" in a bottle full of pills; it's called Prozac, a well known relaxation pill; or maybe Pyrahexyl if you can get the prescription. Many people make the fateful decision to buy illicit drugs, a habit that seems to be expanding among the young and wealthy. What have we done to our children? What kind of society have we created since the hallowed days of hippies and LSD? Why can't they find happiness in simple wonders, like a sunset or sunrise by the beach?
Our materialistic society is to blame. Happiness for a child is now the latest videogame, or the best electronic device, such as MP3. Parents feel guilty, so they shower their kids with expensive gifts, forgetting that love and affection cannot be replaced by money. Yes, parents are working hard and, as such, have little time for the kids. But that is no excuse for neglecting our duty. If you cannot take proper care of children, don't have any!!
Our society as a whole has to reinvent itself; at the risk of being labeled a retrograde conservative, I long for the simple days when going out on the lake was the best gift for me as a child. A primitive fishing rod was all I needed to catch trout and sardines. If a squall caught us, we squealed in delight even as we ran for cover drenched to the bone. Simple food was our delight: A baguette and some cheese was more than enough. A little water satisfied our thirst; no need for expensive and sugary sodas.
Let's go back to the land as our forefathers did; we have the modern tools to do it. Let's do away with big cities that foster crime and debauchery. Life is better in small towns.
"We are the result of the decisions we made"
Nice article. Thanks for sharing.