Americans love Disneyland. It’s the "happiest place on Earth". It’s the place where “all your dreams come true”. The problem is that the happiness is not real, and dreams are only temporarily fulfilled.
These seemingly positive effects only last as long as visiting families’ bank accounts allow (and with $5 hotdogs and $300 hotel rooms, this isn’t long for most Americans). On the trip home the reality of squandered savings and rapid resumption of day-to-day life can only seem more depressing. And so the urge to return to false happiness is almost immediate.
This type of fantasy is a drug. It circumvents our normal feelings of happiness and content that are there to reward us for working on our lives and in our communities to improve them. Instead of enjoying the satisfaction of working hard to make real improvements at home, fantasy vacations (Disneyland, Las Vegas, cruises to nowhere) only provide opportunities to flee real problems and avoid opportunities for improved living.
Americans have a cultural background of seeking opportunities for a better life. Fantasy vacations take advantage of this tendency and misappropriate resources and energy that should be devoted to real accomplishment.
Real improvement in our lives is the only thing that should make us happy.
These seemingly positive effects only last as long as visiting families’ bank accounts allow (and with $5 hotdogs and $300 hotel rooms, this isn’t long for most Americans). On the trip home the reality of squandered savings and rapid resumption of day-to-day life can only seem more depressing. And so the urge to return to false happiness is almost immediate.
This type of fantasy is a drug. It circumvents our normal feelings of happiness and content that are there to reward us for working on our lives and in our communities to improve them. Instead of enjoying the satisfaction of working hard to make real improvements at home, fantasy vacations (Disneyland, Las Vegas, cruises to nowhere) only provide opportunities to flee real problems and avoid opportunities for improved living.
Americans have a cultural background of seeking opportunities for a better life. Fantasy vacations take advantage of this tendency and misappropriate resources and energy that should be devoted to real accomplishment.
Real improvement in our lives is the only thing that should make us happy.
1 comment:
Haven't been to Disney in a long time. The last time I was there Space Mountain was brand new! I guess you could say it's been awhile!
Great blog! Really enjoyed it!
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