Ashley Howard
I have noticed an epidemic afflicting the American people. No, I am not talking about the swine flu. Over the past few months, I have become increasingly aware of a great sickness in the U.S. An obsession… It is widespread and people talk openly about it without shame. They even have pride in it.
I am talking about the overwhelming American need to work more than 40 hours per week. When you ask people how many hours they work, they normally reply with, “Well, I am supposed to work 40 hours. . .” They are, of course, implying that they never work that few. Instead of appearing angry that they work 50-60 hours per week on average, they appear unconcerned. They shrug their shoulders and walk away defeated. A lot of people even seem happy they are mired in such stress. It seems to be the American thing to do. If you have free time, you are not doing something right. Right. . .?
Most people in this country are under the impression that we are the happiest, most well-adjusted people in the world. Is this really true? Do the statistics really demonstrate that? The U.S. is ranked number one in divorce. People in this country get divorced more than they do in any other (Nation Master.com). A lot of people have argued that the reason for this is a lax youth that rushes into marriage without thinking of it as a long term commitment. This could be. On the other hand, people could be getting divorced more frequently than ever in the U.S. because spouses rarely see each other. Absence does not make the heart grow fonder; it makes the heart forget.
Daily lives in the U.S. are filled with deadlines and responsibilities. When men and women get home from work, late at night, they often cannot simply spend time with their spouse to regain that intimacy. There are dishes to be done, children to be played with, family to see, etc. Forget about friends. Friends are a luxury fewer and fewer people have time for. Friends have to come fourth on the list.
Besides showing that people in America get divorced more often than those in other countries, statistics also show that people in this country are more psychologically distressed than those in other countries. For instance, nearly ten percent of people in America suffer from bipolar disorder while over eighteen percent of Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Ronald Kessler, a professor of Health at Harvard University, partly attributes the United State’s high rate of depression to the “constant pursuit of the American dream” (Dusen 2). With the economy in the shape that it is currently in, it is getting harder and harder reach the American dream. No one is giving up though. People are working longer and harder than ever. They do not want to fail. When they do, and when they have detached themselves from any world outside of work, they are falling into depression.
Last year, my husband and I ventured headlong into the world of real-estate. We set out to buy our first house. It is the biggest slice of the American dream. I was discussing our journey with a German woman, Sigrid Streit, doctoral candidate at Kent State University. While I was proud of my attempts, Sigrid shrugged her shoulders, unimpressed. She said, “That’s an American thing. Most people live in apartments in Germany.” Her comments made me think. Why do we struggle so long to own something, when in reality, we most likely won’t own it for 30 years? It is a symbol of vitality and wealth to have a house in the United States. So, people who really have no business buying one, often struggle to sign that loan paper. They work long and hard, and many times default on their mortgage. Admitting they cannot own a house is worse than trying and failing, it seems.
Material wealth, and the pursuit of it, is very important in America, more important than in most other countries. What do we have to show for it? Divorce, depression, two weeks vacation per year. . . I think perhaps it is time we let go of our sickness, and stop feeling guilty about working our forty hours and leaving.
As wise men say, “you can’t take it with you,” right?
