The Ideal of Happiness in American Society

Jennifer Garrison, Rutgers University, Fall 2005

Assignment 1

The Declaration of Independence argues that fundamental to participation in American culture is the ability to enjoy ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ In contrast, Jon Gertner argues that the pursuit of happiness is often a futile one because “when it comes to predicting how you will feel in the future, you are most likely wrong” (1).

How important should the ideal of happiness be to contemporary American culture?

Write an essay in which you take a position on the impact of the ideal of happiness on American culture. Strengthen your argument by using evidence from the text to show how Gertner confirms, contradicts, or complicates your position.

One way to begin answering this question is to choose a particular aspect of American culture to address (i.e. family life, the workplace, the American economy, etc.). You may want to compare your idea of what American culture should be like to what you think it currently is.

Assignment 2

In the first paper, we examined the impact of one ideal on the health of American culture. In the second paper, we will discuss the role of perception in establishing healthy social relations. In “Work Rules,” William Greider argues that although Americans may think they live in a democratic and free society, this belief is a false one that stems from the workplace’s “socialization of powerlessness” (52). Central to his essay is the idea that Americans ought to become aware of the exploitative, feudal nature of their social environment. In contrast, Jon Gertner’s essay speculates that a more accurate perception of one’s place in society may be detrimental to social health.

In what ways is an accurate perception of oneself and one’s place in society important to the health of a society as a whole?

Write an essay in which you take a position on the importance of self-knowledge to societal health. Strengthen your argument by using evidence from both Gertner and Greider to confirm, contradict, or complicate your position.

Assignment 3

In the first two papers, we examined the effect of ideals and perceptions on society. In the third paper, we will examine the effect of spiritual belief on American societal health. In “Does God Have a Future?” Karen Armstrong argues that “the prevalence of fundamentalism, apocalypticism and ‘instant’ charismatic forms of religiosity in America” suggests that America is not a “spiritually healthy society” (90).

In what way does religious belief contribute to or detract from America’s societal health?

Drawing on Gertner’s and Greider’s discussions of societal health, write an essay in which you take a position on the value of religious belief to American society. Strengthen your argument by using evidence from Armstrong, Gertner, and Greider to show how they confirm, contradict, or complicate your position.

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