The Social Character of Contentment
The Social Character of Contentment
An Overview
This chapter discusses the social dimensions of contentment. In the past, many people in the United States experienced a certain sense of unease, of troubled conscience and associated discomfort when contemplating those who did not share the good fortune of the fortunate. During the time of Ronald Reagan, Americans were being rewarded as they so richly deserved. The chapter first considers the role of the government in subsidizing the well-being of Americans before exploring how the economically and socially fortunate who used to be a small minority have become a majority, not of all citizens but of those who actually vote. It suggests that self-regard is the dominant—indeed the controlling— mood of the Contented Majority. It also examines the most important characteristics of the contented majority, including its attitude toward time, a highly selective view of the role of government, and tolerance of pronounced differences in incomes.
Keywords: contentment, government, Ronald Reagan, well-being, self-regard, Contented Majority, time, incomes
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