In America, we’ve worn traditional capitalism to the bone. The majority of us have successfully acquired the things we need (along with plenty of nonessentials). We’ve mastered the dream, but are we happy? We rarely see our families explore our personal passions or engage in our communities. We simply don’t have time because we’re relentlessly working hard to make money. But does that equate to happiness when our jobs are unsatisfying, our families and communities are fractured and our collective health is increasingly jeopardized? 

People are starting to realize after a certain point — when basic needs like food, water, air and shelter are met — material goods are not the sole ingredients to happiness and can actually lessen it. Changing isn’t so easy; we’re stuck in a catch-22 of unhappiness. As an example, for those of you graduating, your future job options truly are dismal. And not just because they are sparse, but because they are dull and/or purposeless. The majority of us will likely come to despise our post-college jobs, but what can we do when we need to survive?

This dated cycle needs to be reevaluated. The economic crisis and
the consequent fragmenting of corporate power are proof that unsatisfying jobs cannot be the profession of the future, superfluous material goods cannot be the product and consumerism cannot be the hobby. And I do realize I just dismissed the entire American dream. However, I think it is due time for a refined American dream when the old one fails our happiness.

The ambition behind our current dream is primarily concerned with attaining endless profit via hard work (and by almost any means necessary.) And we’ve accomplished just that. As a nation, we are collectively quite overworked and quite rich. America has become a paradox: one of extreme monetary wealth and, simultaneously, one of receding happiness.

In the new dream, how about we continue to strive for success, but redefine success as “happiness”? While “happiness” differs from person to person, we can agree it’s generally a feeling of contentment with one’s life. In happiness capitalism, instead of focusing solely on accumulating money via long, depressing days at the office, emphasis will also be placed on the currently unrewarded elements of happiness, such as optimum health, leisurely time, realizing personal passions and participation in community. Wouldn’t that be nice? Maybe this sounds utopian, but seriously, why not? Isn’t that ultimately what we all want– to get paid to be happy?