Introduction

In the modern, developed world, we live a restless existence, and many of us are constantly striving for a better life. Once we get beyond a certain necessities, our lives become cluttered with material goods, accounts, credit cards, obligations and a myriad of smaller and greater responsibilities. Some of us escape into food and entertainment. Some of us escape into alcohol and other substances to dull or alter our senses. Many of us tell others that we are experiencing stress and pressure. It has been written that Americans would trade more pay for more time off - more vacation. As material goods and services have grown, and as more opportunities have arisen, many of us have found that we have less and less time for ourselves, and that we have lost that connection with family and friends.

Why do many of us feel less safe in the world, when our risk of injury or death has not substantially increased?

As the richest nation in the world, why doesn't every American have health care coverage?

Why have a greater and greater proportion of Americans become depressed?

Why do many Americans have fewer strong social ties now than they appeared to have only 4 or 5 decades ago?

Perhaps I am not qualified to answer any of these questions, but I believe that the answers are important to many Americans and others across the world.