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Personal Experience: Americans Are Not Happy People

1293 Words6 Pages

Task I
In my personal experience, Americans are generally not happy people. In fact, the only time I have been surrounded by happy people was when I volunteered in a resort area for terminally ill children. I concluded by the end of the experience that because they were facing something so serious, they were able to enjoy the time with their family. Americans are so wrapped up in small things, such insignificant details that they cannot enjoy the world around them. I also doubt that we will ever be a happy country because of the focus on such small picture ideas.
I believe that the equality that we are given as citizens of the US does make us somewhat unhappy. We tend to always want more, and when we finally achieve our desired goal, we hold on to the gratification for a moment and forget. No one can be perfectly equal in our society because of our possessions. Backgrounds and personalities make it almost impossible to make everyone equal, unless everyone is forced to be the same person (much like in the novella Anthem). But doing so wouldn’t make America a democratic country, and that is what we are known for.

Task II
Americans are so restless because we desire so many …show more content…

It is beautifully written and enjoyable for someone who doesn’t like non-fiction writing very much. Tocqueville really wants people when they read this to understand the US in like no other place, where there are no limits and everyone is as free as they want to be. But, he also states that physical gratification is what most people live for, and I have to strongly disagree with that. Some people do not live for gratification, they simply exist and are seen as a burden to existence. Others thrive on emotional gratification, the feeling after you do something inspiring for another. While yes, there are people who are here for the tangible, many prefer that sense of

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