Emily Esfahani Smith on Pursuing a Meaningful Life

When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he enshrined life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as inalienable human rights, endowed by the Creator himself. Since then, popular discourse in the United States has gone heavy on all three, with each now supporting a cottage industry of books, blogs, TED talks, how-to DVDs, and inspirational miscellany. Lately the pursuit of happiness, in particular, has taken the center of the self-help stage. This focus raises an important question: In the world's wealthiest nation, at a time of unprecedented technological advancement, why is happiness so difficult to attain?