My mom always told me "Your happiness is based on your successes, and my definition of success is having the ability to make your own choices." She used the example of believing herself to be successful because she was able to choose to stay at home to raise my sisters and I, and live where she and my dad always dreamed of, because my dad made enough money to achieve the life they both wanted for themselves and for their family. These ideals came from their parents, my grandparents, who always told me about their greatest successes, which were almost always related to their ability to raise a happy and healthy family, that will eventually, in turn, grow to be successful.
But what about the more recent ideals pertaining to happiness? Through the years, the ideas of success have evolved, however, one of the key components to people's accomplishments tends to be linked to happiness; yet that concept varies from person to person, vastly dividing the different ideas that lead to success.
Thesis: The beginning of the 20th century marks the start of the measurable divide between the connections of success and happiness in American Culture.
I will prove this thesis by showing statistics about happiness levels in other countries to show that owning an abundance of 'things' does not guarantee one's happiness, and how the so called "Economic Boom" following WWI (and later WWII) is just one in a constant flux of economic shifts that effect the overarching ideas of success and happiness in America, the most recent one being the early to late 80s. I will show how we are still riding on that swell of economic power, with no signs of slowing down, and how those who are at its forefront may seem successful from the outside, but may not have everything they want. Another point I will address is how, since the rise of social media, our perception of happiness and success had been severely effected. I will touch upon how distrucitive circular thinking about how we equate 'things' to happiness changes our core values and actually makes us feel more alone.
But what about the more recent ideals pertaining to happiness? Through the years, the ideas of success have evolved, however, one of the key components to people's accomplishments tends to be linked to happiness; yet that concept varies from person to person, vastly dividing the different ideas that lead to success.
Thesis: The beginning of the 20th century marks the start of the measurable divide between the connections of success and happiness in American Culture.
I will prove this thesis by showing statistics about happiness levels in other countries to show that owning an abundance of 'things' does not guarantee one's happiness, and how the so called "Economic Boom" following WWI (and later WWII) is just one in a constant flux of economic shifts that effect the overarching ideas of success and happiness in America, the most recent one being the early to late 80s. I will show how we are still riding on that swell of economic power, with no signs of slowing down, and how those who are at its forefront may seem successful from the outside, but may not have everything they want. Another point I will address is how, since the rise of social media, our perception of happiness and success had been severely effected. I will touch upon how distrucitive circular thinking about how we equate 'things' to happiness changes our core values and actually makes us feel more alone.
Your issue could be a good topic, but I am not sure that you presented your actual paradigm shift well in this post. Are you going to argue that monetary success wasn't as important prior to the 1900s? While you describe your second shift better, you probably don't want to have two separate shifts described in your essay unless you can link them better. Also, I'd need more convincing or evidence to believe the link between social media and this success-happiness connection; it is not as obvious as with the first issue. Overall, though, I think most of these problems are a result of the size of blog posts; when you have more room to elaborate, a lot of these problems should go away.
ReplyDeleteA cool topic; I would just say to ensure that in the final product your research and your discussions directly back up your thesis, which may mean that your thesis will evolve as you write.
ReplyDeleteI find this to be a very interesting topic. I think your thesis is concise and effective. I like how you didn't try to fluff it up with a bunch of unnecessary words or anything; it's direct and to the point. I do think it's important that you be sure to identify where this shift occurred. Make sure you label a distinct way this idea change and the effects it has on American culture.
ReplyDeleteRachel, this general topic is fascinating! As you continue working on your approach, it might be useful to narrow how you're framing the issue, though. For example, you've talked about freedom to make choices, and how having more "things" doesn't equate happiness, and how social media has affected our perceptions of success/happiness, etc.
ReplyDeleteWhile all of this could be very engaging, it also might lack cohesion.
This being said, could you more carefully identify and craft the thesis? First, it needs to more precisely identify the actual shift. (Ie, how are you defining success? Is success your mom's definition of being able to do what you want, or it it more about reaching career goals? Or is it something else entirely?)
Once you have precisely identified the shift itself, the thesis also needs to indicate its significance, and your current version doesn't quite achieve this.
I hope this helps!
Side note: I'm a firm believer that money never has (and never will) buy contentment. It's helpful, for certain, but contentment of the heart is a different matter entirely.