More than 67% of Americans admitted to not being very happy in a Harris Interactive survey conducted in 2013. Couple this with an average of five hours of TV-watching every day and we wonder why people say we are a society of escapists. We are trying to escape from the life we’ve created for ourselves, whether or not we’re ready to take responsibility for it. If you’re one of the unhappy ones, challenge yourself to follow your calling and pursue that nagging voice of change. You’ll be happy you did. (image via the artist DRAN, see more of DRAN's work here)
As the years go on, our culture finds innovative ways to entertain us. Whether we’re out in the desert setting things on fire at Burning Man or playing video games until we’ve lost all semblance of reality, its worth determining the direction in which we’re headed. We are a society of escapists, who hide behind entertainment to ignore our own nagging unhappiness. We are also, however, in the midst of a revolution in which every American can pursue his unique life goal and succeed. Overall, its complicated, but you can pick which path to follow, if you dare take the road less traveled.
TV and Computers
If you’ve been around long enough to remember life before the personal computer, you’re lucky. Children growing up today are inundated with technology and information. Many schools today are requiring students as young as eight to submit their homework online. Books are read on electronic paper, if they are read at all, and the TV still rules the world. According to a 2014 study conducted by Nielsen, the average American watches five hours of live television every single day. With this, eight percent of American children show signs of video game addiction, according to Video-Game-Addiction.org. The fact that we’re spending this much time per week escaping from reality isn’t as shocking as the reasons why do we do it.
67% of Americans Aren’t Very Happy
A study conducted in 2013 by Harris Interactive found that only 33% of 2,345 Americans were very happy. Two-thirds of the population wasn’t very happy, and the number of unhappy Americans increased from 65% to 67% from 2011 to 2013. The study also found that levels of unhappiness were steady across all ethnicities and socio-economic groups. Whether study participants made less than $35,000 or more than $100,000 each year, less than 38% felt happy. But why?
The study went a step further to ask participants their feelings about the future. Forty-two percent of people felt they wouldn’t reap the benefits of the work they were currently doing for some time. Thirty-six percent of participants said they did not engage in hobbies or activities they enjoyed and 34% were unhappy with work. This is why our society promotes escapism. It is a way to ignore the voices calling out for change in our daily lives.
But, We’re Living During an Entrepreneurial Revolution!
There must be duality in the world, and when the average American is unhappy, another population is cashing in and promoting the pursuit of dreams. The internet has made it possible for anyone to learn anything and for anyone to compete with one another in business for an incredibly low investment. The result? Organizations like TED and Big Think provide information to the world for the sake of spreading ideas. Everyone knows someone who quit his or her job to pursue their passions of self-employment. Now if you’re self-employed, you know that journey isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but if its your dream, you’re probably out living life instead of watching a computer screen. And that’s great. Now go help others find that spark.
The Solution
We are largely a society of unhappy people. Much of this stems from feeling unfulfilled at work or having to face an unexpected life event, such as a pregnancy or health challenge. However, in a capitalist society, we are programmed by the media to want things instead of the rich experiences of life. Many of us feel that we would be happier if we only had that or were more like the Joneses. In truth, life is tough, you’d might as well find what you enjoy and do it as often as you can. Being an adult sucks. No one asked to be born into this demanding world with deadlines and endless bills, but now that you’re here, find what you enjoy and do it often. If you have a dream, I dare you to pursue it. If you don’t, I encourage you to find it. If you hate your job, find a better one, or find a way to work for yourself. No, life won’t get easier, but you’ll be happier and better able to take face it.
Escaping from life is really about trying to escape from one’s self. Remember, everywhere you go, there you are, so take a good long look in the mirror and become who you were meant to become today. (SNL skit-like)
C
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