The Impact Of Social Media On Overtime Americans

Happiness is something that all people, no matter what race, gender, or social class, strive for. Based on lifestyle or perspective each person has their independent idea of what happiness is, but everyone shares an end goal to live their definition of a happy life. Many people, though, struggle in finding their way to this goal. They face hardships and challenges that test their happiness every day. Happiness, though somewhat indirectly, does take learning and training to discover and maintain.

Growing up in a family where both my parents came from poor immigrant backgrounds always made financial success a priority and when there was no need to be frugal, my parents did seem happier. But did money buy my parents’ happiness or did money lead to their happiness? Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener attempt to answer that question in their excerpt “Can Money Buy Happiness,” where they claim that “[m]oney can be a help in attaining psychological wealth, but it should be considered in the bigger picture of what makes people general genuinely rich (Biswas-Diener 161). Although not explicitly defined by Diener and Biswas-Diener, “psychological wealth” is the overall measure of happiness, beyond just fiscal affluence, including positive ties with other individuals and joyful temperaments (Biswas-Diener 168). By extending Biswas-Diener and Diener’s idea of “psychological wealth” to include the perception of what wealth is and what wealth consists of beyond monetary success, such as achievements or fulfillment, there exist a copious number of ways to view wealth. One can be rich in more than finances and happiness is dependent upon the perception of wealth due to money being one of several paths, including deliberate effort and being positive, to “psychological wealth” which leads to happiness.

Technology and Social Media In the essays, “Technology Taking Over?” by Yzzy Gonzalez, “The Parent Trap” by Clive Thomas and “This Is Not About You” by Andrew Santella, each of the authors write about the impact technology and social networking have on our schedules and the images of ourselves. How technology and social media can be a big part of our life distraction, we put more attention to our cell phones. Half of the time when we are doing homework, talking to our parents or in class all we do is be on our phones, we won’t pay attention to what we supposed to do or not end up listening.

As Begley “When people buy something they try to pay as little for it as they can” (p. 1). Therefore, I agree that money sometimes can bring happiness while there are a lot of things which people cannot have it with money. The author states that people enjoy when they get something on sale, and they feel happy when they spend less money for. Also, the author mentions how money can affect people who are poor and give them happiness; however, rich people gather money to increase their wealth. Sharon also writes about the survey, which how people consider their happiness.

In order to find that happiness we have to decide what makes us happy, and from the statements above we can say that it is opportunity, freedom and family. The sad part of this is a lot of us still manage to misinterpret what happiness means. Like several characters in Death of a Salesman, including Willy, many people think luxury and money is going to make them happy.

Social media has become prominent parts of life for many young people today. Most people engage with social media without stopping to think what the effects are on our lives, whether positive or negative. Are we as a society becoming more concerned with Facebook "friends" than we are with the people we interact with face-to-face in our daily lives? What will the longterm effects of today 's social media use be? There are many positive aspects, but there are equally as many dangers that come with the use of sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google +, Tumblr, Instagram, gaming sites, and blogs. Social media has both negative and positive effects on society, it is up to the user to decide what impact they want to make. In order to make the right choices, we must dig in and research this topic thoroughly.

If you were to ask the average person if they believed whether or not money can buy one’s happiness, many would likely say no; but if you were to take a closer look at how they choose to spend their money, their purchases would say otherwise. Their purchases would likely say that money can instead buy you many things that make you happy, or at least temporarily. Our society condones the American dream to follow one’s desires because anyone who obtains any level of power, pleasure, and wealth is likely to also achieve a satisfying and successful life. “In a capitalist economy and a culture of consumerism and materialism, are we not bombarded with messages promising happiness through wealth and possessions? Aren’t we every day indoctrinated by advertisements promising bliss through the clothes we wear, the cell phones we buy, and even the beer we drink?”

Americans constantly find themselves desiring happiness. However, what is happiness and how does someone achieve it? According to Webster-Dictionary.org, happiness is “An agreeable feeling or condition of the soul arising from good fortune or propitious happening of any kind; the possession of those circumstances or that state of being which is attended with enjoyment”. Every American seeks happiness, but achieving it is the struggle. Americans search for fleeting happiness, therefore, we often find contentment in mediocre living.

A person should always know if they are happy, because they should always be aware of their feelings. If they are not experiencing happiness, then they can devise a way to make themselves happy. When one does not focus on their own happiness, they will not be able to find a way to be happier. In addition, spending money or not giving to other people could also give a person happiness, contradicting Mill’s beliefs of giving away gives more euphoria. For example, “research . . . has found that people do get happier as their income increases . . . up to a certain level where they are comfortable” (Landau). When someone has money to can spend on themselves, they don’t have to worry about not having enough income and, furthermore, can satisfy themselves by buying things they enjoy. Another study says that “life satisfaction rises with higher incomes up to a household income of about 75000 . . . “ (Landau ). Money can buy people happiness, and they can feel more secure when they save a certain amount. Instead of spending it, keeping it can make a person feel safer and more stable, which can, in turn, make you happier. However, “a . . . study . . . comparing 22 major lottery winners with people who did not win, found no difference in happiness levels between the two groups” (Landau). Although spending or keeping money for oneself

We all have heard the phrase “money can’t buy you happiness.” That phrase is a lie because mostly everything in today’s society revolves around money. The things people like revolve around money too. What a coincidence? Let’s say a person is upset so they go buy their favorite ice cream because they know it will make them happy. That person had the money to invest in something that made them happy. Or on an even bigger let’s say someone has been fantasizing about a car and they finally get enough money to purchase their dream car. This person is likely to be very happy. If it was not for the money, they would not have gotten that dream car, so basically the money made them happy. The truth is money makes people happy.

Happiness is not a strange term to us. We usually use that word to express our feelings in every day. Additionally, more than a word, “happiness” is what we really need and always seek in life. However, finding and understanding deeply its meaning is not easy. The online dictionary, “vocabulary.com” defines, “Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, or safe, or lucky, they feel happiness.” Thus, we always wonder if we are happy or how could we be happier in our life. Happiness, therefore, becomes a goal for everybody.

A perfectionist is defined as a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection. This, although seems like a redeeming quality, can also be bad too. Being a perfectionist is good if one is working on school work or working at a job. It’s also good if one is organizing, cleaning, or designing a home. Being a perfectionist can assist one in many jobs that society offers and many employers won’t settle for anything less. However, it can also be a bad thing. Being a perfectionist can cause one a lot of stress if there’s a case where one can’t do something to one’s full potential. It can also be bad if one is working with someone who doesn’t show the same worth ethic as they do. I can often lead to conflict within one’s social life or work.

Perfectionism is at its core is shame manifested. It is the thought that we are not good enough. It's goal is to extinguish all fears and anxieties, to avoid rejection or criticism of any kind. For me, it comes in the form of anxiety, the need for control, incessant planning and setting unrealistic goals to reach. It is exhausting, it is painful and a daily struggle to live this way.

Focusing on the illusion that money brings happiness may have an unexpected turn later down the road. For instance, when someone reflects on how money would change their sense of well-being, they would probably think about spending more time in leisurely pursuits such as traveling abroad. But in reality, they would have to spend a large amount of time working and less time engaged in experienced happiness. Robert H. Frank says in his book Luxury Fever: Money and Happiness in an Era of Excess:

Studies have shown that the average person now spends more time each day on their phone and computer than they do sleeping according to Nick McGillivray (“What are the Effects of Social Media on Youth?). Social has become part of our social society, especially for the many youths. There are positives to being on social media and also equal amounts of danger that come with using social networking sites, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. These social networking sites also have effects on today’s youth by altering the way they behave, the way they learn, in not only a classroom setting but also in the real world setting, and the way that they socialize with their peers and others.