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Paradox of Affluence

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America has been through a lot in her history. After the great depression prices started going back up and people started making more money. Baumgardner, and Crothers (2009), explain the paradox of affluence as a study done over the last 40 to 50 years in America about material well-being and psychological well-being (p.99). Is it just a coincidence that more Americans are making more money now but are less happy and tend to have more mental disorders than in the past? The paradox of affluence makes people try and shop for the perfect Christmas present instead of Christmas being about the religion or family traditions. People that are consumed in materials cannot have or provide deep sustaining life meaning (Baumgardner, and Crothers, 2009). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs starts from the bottom and works its way up. Starting with physiological needs, safety needs, love and belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization ending at the top of the pyramid. In my opinion Maslow’s hierarchy of needs doesn’t relate to money but more toward happiness. Baumgardner, and Crothers (2009), state that money cannot buy a person a better personality or a great relationship so it is not a contributor to true happiness (p.108). It is America’s mentality to think that if they have more money they would be able to make their dreams come true. In fact that is false people long for relationships and family.

References Baumgardner, S. R. and Crothers, M. K. (2009). Positive psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice

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