Are Americans Happy

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A lot has changed in the past three hundred years. America has evolved into a place where freedom and happiness are cherished above all. With these changes have come longer life expectancies, the invention of the motor vehicle, creation of technologies such as computers and cell phones, evolving fashion trends, and new types of music. Despite these exciting modifications to society, are Americans actually happier than they were three centuries ago? A recent poll by the Harris Initiative showed that "the agency polled over 2,300 Americans in April using an online survey and reported that only about one third of those polled claimed they were “very happy” with their lives” (Townes 35). This provides a clear answer to the question; no, Americans …show more content…

Today, people are so focused on the invention that is technology that they forget about everything else. They are online constantly, whether they are by themselves or with friends or family. People have become so linked to technology that it is having negative effects. One of these effects is that “the constant comparison allowed by social media exacerbates a tendency toward perfectionism that is surging in modern society” (Gulli 50). This means that people are concentrating on their online image and placing a significantly high importance on it. People are constantly judged for how many “likes” their pictures receive as compared to others, or feel they need to Photoshop themselves just to compete. These instances demonstrate how wrapped up people get into technology, negatively affecting their happiness. They feel the need to compete with others and that they are simply not good enough. Technology has the potential to reduce a person’s self esteem, which in turn will reduce their contentment. Three centuries ago, technology did not exist the way it does today. There was no Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for people to hyper-focus on. They were not judged for the things they posted nor did they feel obligated to do certain things to impress others via the Internet. Therefore, people were much happier when they did not have the worries associated with technology use. Another one of these worries is illegal activities that can take place over the Internet. In fact, “there is evidence that e-pornography, online gambling, and computer crime lead to more unhappiness than happiness” (Heeks 26). With the Internet comes temptation. These temptations are causing people to be less happy because they are worried about something bad they have done, or are thinking about doing. There are so many more opportunities to get into trouble with the new technology.

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