I don't think Cassandra and I live in the same world.
I certainly don't consider myself happy, or as having freedom, or choices.
It may be that materialism brings happiness to those who can afford to purchase whatever it is that makes them happy.
The majority of us, however, barely manages to make ends meet (even with 2 incomes) and I struggle to find a sense of purpose in a society that considers material acquisition as the worthiest pursuit of all.
Cassandra and I definitely don't live in the same world.

Cassandra, I am also happy that you are so happy. Don't let that toxic coalition of anti-capitalist and anti-modern commentators make you believe that Australia's economic success has anything to do with the tidal wave of human misery in the poorest part of the world. Definitely don't succumb to anxiety, depression and sadness over any such connection. Definitely don't read Ted Trainer (Sydney University) et al "The Limits To Growth Analysis" - stay happy.

Cassandra, I am happy that you and I live in the richest quintile of world incomes which is some 70 times more than that of the poorest quintile. They might not be too happy but you are right - we really certainly have very little to complain about.

I was not terribly happy about the bit in the above analysis that says the main reason the poor of this world are so poor and will probably always stay so is that we are so rich and happy and have the economic and technological might to keep it that way.

Trainer and his toxic friends say the the world is running out of resources and it is our fault. They say that our lifestyle is "grossly unsustainable". Some people just don't want us to be happy. It made me very unhappy to read his document. I advise you not to read it. Stay happy.

If societies general aspirations dont work for you CitizenK, then develop your own. If you dont see meaning in the pursuit of wealth, then dont. Seek to help people, seek to surf every weekend (or play golf), sell your house and buy a caravan and travel round Australia (working as you go for enough to eat). If you try to do what someone else thinks is a great idea for them, then its little wonder that you are not happy. Yes, its a struggle to make ends meet, but then it always has been. Do you live in the city? If so, then leave. The city is a very depressing place - all that concrete, people and noise - yuk!

In short, work out what you think is a worthwhile pursuit, and if you then follow that pursuit, you'll almost certainly be reasonably happy.

Great article

I get tired of the four favourite fallacies of modern day anti-capitalist apocalyptics:

- Prosperity makes you miserable
- Prosperity equates venality/shallowness/greed/crassness/consumerism/cultural impoverishment
- Prosperity cannot possibly last; and
- Our prosperity is bought at the cost of others’ impoverishment

Country Gal – well said. To my mind the greatest freedoms of prosperous societies are not the freedoms to buy more flat-screen TVs, but rather to define and live according to one’s own values and priorities. We are not perfectly free in this of course, but we have more options and more possibilities than any generation before us, and members of almost any other modern culture.

As Cassandra says:

“Prosperity provides opportunities to explore the self-actualising behaviours and social engagement that improves our wellbeing. In addition, prosperity and the availability of a wider variety of experiences increase opportunities for sensory pleasure such as better food and more stimulating recreation that, although it isn't happiness, certainly helps the winter nights fly.”
Amen

Not a bad piece at all. And Ho hum, in answer to pretty much all of your questions 'because they want to.'
Reality tv? Seriously? It may be garbage, but it's what rates, and it's therefore what people want.

The author's right in that it's nowhere near as bad as a casual glance at the media will tell you.
That isn't to say we don't have to be vigilant to ensure it stays that way...

Unsurprising piece, who ever met a realistic saleswoman? Upton Sinclair over 100 years ago wrote, "it is impossible to get a man to understand a fact if his salary depends upon him not understanding". Cassandra writes from her privelidge, and however carefully she might search out & slice statistics to fit her neoliberal spin, everyone living outside the ruling class can smell the bulls**t a mile away.