Betas, why are Americans unhappy?

[squark]

It doesn't have to be just Americans, but anyone living in an "America-esque" society, if that makes sense. You could possibly even include Japan, definitely the UK.

Anyway, it occurred to me that most people in America seem unhappy and slightly mad, like they're balanced precariously on the edge of sanity and are trying hard not to notice. It's sort of like a cartoon character that walks off a ledge but does not begin to fall until he notices his predicament.

Also, I'm looking for thoughtful answers, not clichéd anti-American platitudes from dunces in pretend Eastern European countries. I would also prefer somewhat artsy answers from Beta NFs such as strrrng, George, and silverchris.

Please give me your Nietzschean/Freudian insights.

I haven't noticed most people seeming unhappy. If they are, it could be from a sense of powerlessness. They feel unable to enact change in their own lives or make anything better and that depresses them. They feel like they can't do anything, and nobody is listening, and nothing they do gets them anywhere. People in 3rd world countries get depressed for the same reason - they can't change anything, no matter how hard they work or how fast they run, they're still on the same treadmill.

The cure for that kind of unhappiness is to find something that you can change. Something that you can take in your hands and make better through your own effort. Getting that foothold, where they have control can lead to great confidence in themselves to make another and greater change.

Consider the kinds of risks people will take to have any small gain in independence and self-direction. It's human nature to want to run things. At least for yourself and your own life. Having that responsibility, and wanting it, and enjoying being responsible for your own life and decisions is the only way to be happy. Blaming other people, or the culture, the system, whatever your favorite object of blame is, takes away the very responsibility you need to climb out of whatever hole or trap you see yourself in.

[sarinana]

I don't know about America, but in the UK people seemed happy. Minus their rants about emigrants moving from everywhere else.

And this could be adapted to any nation: greed is the major factor of unhappiness.

And by the way. addressing this thread to Betas and then kind of letting people know that you only want to hear opinions of people like George, thePirate or those who think the same as them is quite silly.

[Absurd]

Because they're poor and don't have any money.