As we continue towards the end of the year, many news outlets (print, radio and TV) will begin to tabulate and report various statistics for criteria they have determined as important for us to know.

Many of these statistics will be in the form of a percentage polled with regards to being satisfied or dissatisfied towards a particular topic or area of concern.

For instance, according to the Gallup Poll in 2013: 24% of Americans were satisfied with the way things were going in the U.S.. 79% of Americans were satisfied with the direction of their personal lives. The overall level of satisfaction with the direction of the U.S. over the past 35 years has ranged from 12% in 1979, 21% 1992, 70% in 2002, 10% in 2009 and 24% for 2013. In contrast the lowest level of satisfaction in ones personal life was 73% in 1979.

According to Dr. Frank Newport, Gallup Poll Editor in Chief, “…overall, Americans are more satisfied with their personal lives than the overall direction of the U.S. as a whole.”

CBS news published a poll in July 2013 which showed that 61% of Americans rated the economy as bad. Forbes published a study in May 2012 involving respondents from the U.S. and Canada. The study revealed that only 19% were satisfied with their jobs, 16% were somewhat satisfied, 21% were somewhat unsatisfied and 44% were completely unsatisfied.

According to a Mercer study from 2011 involving over 30,000 workers worldwide:

“…between 28% and 56% of employees in 17 spots around the globe wanted to leave their jobs. In the U.S., 32% said they wanted to find new work. That’s about half of the 65% of respondents to the Right Management survey, who said they were either somewhat or totally unsatisfied.”

The results of these reports are very interesting. Indeed, several questions are raised, which will not be addressed in this article, however, are posed for the reader to stimulate a future dialog.

If the vast majority of Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs, the direction of the economy and the direction of the U.S. in general, then how are the majority also overwhelmingly satisfied with the direction of their personal lives? Surely, an individuals job, the overall economy and the overall direction of the country plays a large part in the perception of ones own life. Yet, as the studies reveal, it is not reflected or at least felt on the individual level.

Are Americans basing their happiness on the ability to consume and acquire physical/tangible belongings, or are they being led to believe they are happy by the pursuit of those items? Is it possible that Americans perception of happiness is actually a byproduct of consumerism and the invention of advertisers?

This level of dissatisfaction is quite reminiscent of an old Chinese fable called “The Stonecutter”.

Once upon a time, there was a stonecutter who at one time was very happy with his life, however, one day he passed by the home of a very wealthy man, on his way to delivering a gravestone. He was able to see inside the house through the open curtains, and observed all of the fine and expensive items inside, and admired not only his belongings but also his apparent power. At this time he became discouraged with his life and his daily work became harder and harder. As he chipped away at the stone for his next project he began to wish and dream of how much happier he would be if he were a rich merchant.

He instantly became a rich merchant and was surrounded by and enjoying more luxuries then he ever imagined. The regular townspeople also despised him for his riches and power.

The next day was very hot and the sun was so bright and intense that he had to return home and rest from the oppressive heat. He was awakened from his nap by the sound of excited people in the street. When he peered through the window he observed a carriage passing, drawn by servants in fine clothes. The occupant was surely the prince with his golden umbrella protecting him from the sun and intense heat.

The stonecutter thought for a moment, ‘Oh, if only I were a prince and had servants to tend to my every need, and could ride in a carriage with a golden umbrella, surely then I would be happy.’

He became the prince, had the servants and the golden umbrella. He was also hated and feared by the local people because they had to bow down before him whenever he passed by.

On this particularly hot day, the prince was very uncomfortable, even in his custom carriage with the golden umbrella. He began to peer up at the sun and noticed how strong the sun was, when he poured water on the grass the sun still scorched the grass turning it brown, the sun did not bow down to him, rather, on a hot day, he had to bow down (partially) to the sun to shield himself from the intense rays.

Oh, how powerful, the sun is, he began to wonder, if only I could be the sun.

Then he became the sun, shining brightly on all those below him, scorching the fields, being cursed by farmers, he shot his beams of light above, below and all around. Powerful indeed was the stonecutter who became the sun. While he was basking in his own glory, suddenly his light became dull, and his power began to diminish. He pondered, what incredible power could this be, what force could block my rays and defy my glory!

Then to his amazement, he was no longer happy being the sun, and dreamed of being the storm cloud that now blocked his light.

And a storm cloud he did become. He was able to catch the suns beams and block them from hitting the earth, flooded the fields with rain that lasted for days on end. He noticed a particular field that was not flooded and wanted to pour rain on the field. Know matter how hard he tried he could not move over the field and continued traveling in the wrong direction. What force is this that can move the mighty storm cloud, he began to wonder.

‘Oh, the wind, how I long to be the wind, surely nothing is stronger than this’.

When he became the wind, he blew the clouds with such force, caused buildings to collapse, ripped the trees out from their roots and caused massive waves on the water.

All of sudden he hit a force with incredible pressure, but the object would not budge. Hit it again and again, and still the defiant object stood strong.

‘Oh this mountain, if only I could become the mountain which withstood the sun, rain and wind, towers over the people including the princes and causes all to bow down to it.’ Such power he would have if he could become the mountain.

A mountain he became, and while standing strong enjoying the view as he towered over the surroundings, he began to hear the sound of a hammer and chisel pounding the side of the mountain near the base. Slowly he felt himself being changed. He began to wonder, what could be more powerful than the mighty mountain? Suddenly a large piece of the mountain broke off and fell on the ground. Then he cried out: ‘Is a little child of the earth more powerful than a mountain, Oh if only I were a stonecutter!’

He awoke a stonecutter again, and though his work was hard, and he toiled in the sun all day long, he did so to the best of his ability, made many fine items of great skill, and never again desired to be greater or mightier than other people. He learned to be content with what he had and who he was, and he was finally happy!

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