Any topic (writer’s choice)
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PROMPT
Choose any of the following angles or questions to write a thoughtful closing statement about happiness in a massively interlinked society of 8 billion people who all equally matter as much as the relatively few Americans . Out of the approximately 8 billion people, there are 331 million people in the USA (that’s like one-third of a billion), which makes us the third most populous nation in the world, says this article, which also notes some key demographic shifts to come in your lifetime: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/3-ways-that-the-u-s-population-will-change-over-the-next-decade#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20population%20today%2C%20at,just%20under%201.4%20billion%2C%20respectively (Links to an external site.).
Since the global population is expected to grow to about 10 billion people within your lifespan, it seems urgent for you to consider how much you value happiness and opportunity for all people — not just for yourself, your family, or those who live in the USA. For all angles of approach here, consider what you are willing to do to help others — and yourself — to a share of whatever you deem as true happiness. You don’t have to use Aristotle’s notion of virtues (the greater good) and the Golden Mean if you think you have a better definition or more workable system of happiness, but please do reflect on how serving mostly one’s own personal interest has led to “collapse” according to a number of our assigned authors throughout varying historical periods.
Given the possibility that your century is expected to see perhaps 20,000 years of change, what changes might you and your community make to contribute to greater happiness for yourself and others?
How is this pace or rate of change likely to impact or shape things you and your community care about?
How are your chances at personal and collective happiness helped or undermined by such an inevitable rate of change brought about by technological improvements and societal needs and demands?
What role do you personally have in ensuring the pursuit of happiness continues beyond your own personal interests?
What key facts about local, national, or global population or demographics suggest that things will get better, worse, or stay about the same for you, your community, or your nation?
