I contend that American Unhappiness is manufactured and sustained by the constant onslaught of misinformation, broadcast by special interest groups, all of whom have it in their general plan to make you feel an unmet need, a base emotional response, a tickle in your amygdla.
Likely, your life is not that bad.
Likely, the fear you feel, waiting for a cab outside your favorite bistro, is a response to programming you ingested from the culture that tries to nurse you into a permanent state of semi-consciousness.
Fear is sensational, a proven sales tool, a political football, click-bait 'journalism'. There are whole armies of professional and amateur fear-mongers out there, who make it their life's mission to plant the seeds of fear into your imagination, to sell you a product, a candidate, a policy.
>> fulfillment requires more than material wealth,
Agreed, but...
>> which in our quest for more stuff, we have forgotten.
Reject the programming. Whether it is fear or desire that the advertisers/liars attempt to trigger in you, recognize the effort aimed at making you feel wants/needs that do not actually do you or our society any good at all, and reject the unhappiness they are trying to program into you.
It is an individual responsibility. An individual has authority over their own emotional states. Defend yourself from the onslaught of lies and liars.
> Society needs to feel safe for people to truly feel happy.
I don't disagree with this. But whose is responsible for 'feelings'?