The Good Life and Its Discontents: The American Dream in the Age of Entitlement, 1945-1995

Abstract

The Good Life and Its Discontents: The American Dream in the Age of Entitlement, 1945-1995 by Robert J. Samuelson Times Books, 1995; 293pp. $25 One anachronism of contemporary American society is that widespread economic anxiety and discontent persists in such an advanced and prosperous country. Some argue that despite the quality of material goods and services, the "American dream" remains for many a "pipe dream" that is increasingly impossible to attain. This fosters cynicism and resentment among the American electorate, and not to mention political irresponsibility on the part of elected officials. Newsweek columnist Robert Samuelson reflects upon this prevailing trend among the American public in his recent book, The Good Life and Its Discontents. Samuelson argues that despite these frustrations on the part of many Americans in their never-ending quest to live as comfortably as possible things could be much worse. The American public enjoys a lifestyle that most people around the world will never come to know. In the words of Raymond Cattell, "poverty is relative. The woman on welfare today lives - in terms of housing, food, transport, medical attention and entertainment -- better than a queen in medieval times." Now more than ever, most Americans relish a greater range of comfort and luxury in their daily lives than previous generations of Americans could hardly have imagined. The Problem of "Entitlesments" Samuelson covers a vast amount of important material in trying to account for such widespread insecurity and maladjustment. As a pragmatist, he identifies one underlying aspect behind much of the public's unreasonable expectations: entitlements. For more and more Americans, a twentieth-century lifestyle means a large home, new car, generous salaries and bonuses, annual vacations and low cost-health coverage. What many would consider to be modern day luxuries, middle class Americans now view as sheer necessities. One of Samuelson's main points is that there are no guarantees in life; everything has its price and nothing comes without risk. The thread of Samuelson's thoughts echoes what General Douglas MacArthur once wrote, "there is no security in this life. There is only opportunity". The aftermath of the great depression and World War II generated a blind faith in the capacity of government to solve any national crisis or social problem on the horizon: poverty programs for the indigent, social security for the elderly, public housing for the homeless and civil rights for the disenfranchised. The hurdles that some considered as obstacles to opportunity were levelled in an effort to create an equal chance with minimal risk for all. One's level of affluence was no longer earned, but was "entitled" simply on the basis of one's own existence. The "Elusive Quality" Any fair reading of Samuelson's work cannot ignore his meticulous penchant for detail and lucid insight. One of the few shortcomings of Samuelson's analysis is his brief critique of egalitarianism. What the author identifies as "elusive equality" may in fact fuel much of the resentment and mistrust that Samuelson explores in the rest of his book. …