The Root of American Unhappiness?

January 24th, 2009. A lazy Saturday afternoon spent watching Bloggingheads on nytimes.com.

I just listened to a debate between Kerry Howley of Reason and Richard Rodriguez, a Mexican journalist. The topic was American Unhappiness - whether Americans are decidedly unhappy and why. While Kerry had little to say of interest, she did pose a question to Richard that exacted a profound response. She posited that, in America, wealth is directly correlated to happiness and asked why Mexicans, who earn less than Americans, are so happy. Richard Rodriguez responded that it's because they don't see their main identifying factor as their work. Instead, it's their family and what they do in their leisure time. Their happiness comes from within, from a deeper place than their professional title. According to Rodriguez, Americans place too much emphasis on their work.

I couldn't agree more. Living in New York City, that's the first question someone asks you when you first meet. I have even heard people say, "Excuse me, I hate to start on this superficial, potentially rude question, but what do you do?" I have done it myself. We know what we're doing but we can't help ourselves, it's our go-to question. And I think it's a direct result of living in a society in which profession is directly tied to identity, and is sometimes the only identifying factor. Perhaps that is why we are so unhappy and, in turn, angry. Particularly in economically shaky times such as this one in which, if we subscribe to Rodriguez' argument, people are literally losing their identities.

Some of my happiest times last year were spent in Buenos Aires where, separated from "my work", I was free to think and be; to find other activities that make me happy and are additional identifiers. It was there that I admitted to myself that I love to write. But wouldn't you know that, back in the States, my first instinct is to turn this into a money-making profession?! In some respects this is a good thing; I am inspired by friends and family who have managed to work in and make money from what they love doing. But I do have to ask myself why I couldn't leave writing as a hobby. Isn't doing it for me enough?

The fact that Americans are their work has to a lot do with heightened ambition. We were raised to think that we are the best, and understanding that being the best only comes with hard work. To do something well, you do it with your all. So of course your life's work becomes work. They go hand in hand.

But, if we adjusted our model a bit, if we loosened up and didn't directly link personal success to our professional success, might we be happier? And perhaps even more productive?