Abundance

Pink's observing contemplations unveil how abundance is thriving in America, yet has failed to increase America's happiness. He reveals the absurd proportions to which the abundance of material items exists by pointing out that "Target was just one of an array of Potomac Yards stores catering to a mostly middle-class clientele." after having established the designer quality of Target clothes. The vastness of today's quality shopping at cheap prices is very prominent, especially so when considering the quality of middle-class store products is as good as it could possibly be, and cheap enough to be prime purchase for the middle-class. Abundance is clearly flourishing in America. Yet its flourishing obviously doesn't correspond with the flourishing of satisfaction, because, as Pink goes on to say, "what's so remarkable about Potomac Yards is how utterly unremarkable it is." The statment is a seeming paradox. Though it makes perfect sense; the astonishing aspect of our excessively vast shopping is that even the most common stores are so rediculously bountiful today. The sad effect is that this comes as an epiphany to our society, which typically regards these stores, like Potomac Yards, as dully common, average, mediocre. Our society takes for granted the availability. Thus, how could it make us any happier if we neglect the awe of our possessions? Pink then plainly states that "the paradox of prosperity is that while living standards have risen steadily decade after decade, personal, family, and life satisfaction haven't budged." This seems a paradox, indeed. Perhaps if we did not take our abundance for granted, the result could be an inflation on our satisfaction. But, such an inflation may not last when desinsitization to the vastness conquers the thought.