Introduction
I am a citizen of the United States of America. While my status as such allows me many opportunities and protections, it is not without a great number of disadvantages. As I have become more aware, of both myself and my culture, I have become increasingly disturbed by what it means to be a U.S. citizen. I spend a great deal of time quietly considering and discussing the topic with others--what it means to live the American lifestyle and what it means to be happy--and the contradictions inherent in trying to be both simultaneously. My quest for knowledge is twofold, both an internal and external journey. Through this site, I hope to take a closer look at what it means to live the "American Way," in all of its wonderful, horrible manifestations.
For me, the exploration of this subject is multifaceted and encompasses many different issues--everything from movie recommendations to the drug war. It may be overly optimistic of me to expect that I could even approach such a complicated endeavor, but there are times in one's life when it is necessary to attempt something even when it seems destined to fail, if only to say that we tried.
Overall, I plan to split my approach between self-help and social criticism, taking both an internal and external look at what it means to be happy and an American. I in no way mean to imply at any time during this examination that I am some sort of expert or "right" about any of this. Instead, I'd like to offer to you what I think I know and see how you might interpret and respond to such information. Towards that end, I am including message boards with the hope that my readers will enter into the discussion. I want to hear what you think about all of this.
One more thing...