However the one thing he desired most that money could never buy was his love and passion for Daisy. Gatsby believed that he could win the love of the woman he longed for by showering her with materialistic items. Tom also took great pride in his earnings and believed he was a better man because of them. He exclaims, “Now don’t think my opinion on this matter is final just because I’m stronger and more of a man than you are” (Fitzgerald). He, along with Gatsby feels content with the unnecessary materialistic items that he owns.
There was only a simple law, and that was to not read books as well as think, making “the mind drink less and less.” This doesn’t seem much of a sacrifice because society was filled with far more excitement than literature could offer. Meanwhile, new technology helped people do everyday chores and made life simpler, leaving more time for fun. Like Beatty said, “Life is immediate, the job counts, and pleasure lies all about after work.” Entertainment ruled their society. The parlor walls seem like a god compared to our TVs. The seashell radios are convenience at its best.
2. What are some key personality features that define you? Some key personality traits that would define me would be that I am always bubbly and happy no matter what is going on in my life. My behavior shows that I will go the extra mile for someone in need and I always try to make everyone happy. Even though I might not please everyone in the long run.
The biggest single factor which he feels contributes to happiness is family and other close relationships. Having good personal relationships with people who are important to us is a very significant contributor to happiness and general well being. Happy people tend to be distinguished by their rich and satisfying close relationships, rather than their greater levels of wealth. This is supported by Robert Lane’s findings. According to Spoors et al, Lane found that increased economic power did not lead to increased happiness.
So, what else was there to do other than spend money and live the life of the “rich and famous”, even if they were not the “rich and famous”? By time the decade had ended and the stock market crashed, many of those same people who lived the grandiose life were wishing they had answered that question with “saving money”. With the Great Depression came a distinct lack of funds. This meant that the lavish parties and the purchase of expensive artwork came to a halt. People began to save every penny while attempting to make extra money wherever they could just so they could survive through the week.
The great depression meant that many of the families had lost their savings; it was horrible to know that all the money that they had saved throughout the years has just vanished so quickly. They were also afraid of the growing communist party; they wanted to abolish private companies, land and businesses. If this happened many of the middle class would lose their job where they were able to make money. Therefore because of this they saw Hitler as a strong leader who could help their country recover and
The Good Life The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the things that make me “happy”, I think of love, stability and wealth. This is probably true for most people, with a few variations of course. One definition of happiness could be the state in which we have everything and what nothing. Someone is happy because everything he or she could ever want has been acquired so there is no wants. Plato had a completely different view of happiness.
“Were the poor members of the family… it’s because your father has no luck… it’s what causes you to have money. If you’re lucky you have money. That’s why it’s better to be born lucky than rich. If you’re rich, you may lose your money. But, if you’re lucky, you will always gets more money” (Lawrence 1).
This meant that America had been a wealthy country that made the people could not take the pressure from the Great Depression. White people could not stand the fact that they were as poor as the Negro. Surprisingly, there were even people like his friend, a black man, who ended his life over a financial situation
This study shows that the American public, even though they disagree on the causes of wealth distribution, agree that wealth should be distributed more fairly. It is unfortunate that so many Americans would believe this. Income and wealth inequality are the natural order of things. Everyone is entitled to that which he earns through his own labor, and if one man’s labor earns him more wealth, than another does, then he can do with it as he pleases. If a wealthy person wants to give some of his wealth to other people, then that is his right.