America Trends Podcast

America Trends Podcast


EP 764 Are We Looking for Happiness in the Wrong Places?

June 02, 2024

The pursuit of happiness is a birthright for those of us who are American citizens. It’s right there in the Declaration of Independence, which itself seems rather odd.  We are not guaranteed that state of satisfaction and by recent polling and just a good look around there are lots of unhappy people in this country.  Prestigious colleges offer courses in ‘happiness’ as a society of grievance looks for ways to turn a frown upside down.  First things first, our guest, Adam Gopnik, the esteemed writer from the New Yorker Magazine and author of “All That Happiness Is” gives us a way to look at happiness in the pursuits that are inner-driven and all consuming.  Call them hobbies, avocations or personal growth pursuits these accomplishments differ from outer- directed achievements which may accrue to us from our work, for instance.  In our  super-sized work society, maybe we are looking for happiness in all the wrong places. Let’s discuss on this podcast.