"I was born into a late-twentieth-century American middle-class family. Like untold millions of other people in the contemporary world born into similar circumstances, I was raised to believe that I was special. (...) Whatever our religion, whatever our economic class, we all at least somewhat embraced the same dogma, which I would describe as being very historical recent and very definitely Western and which can effectively be summed up as:"You matter."

(...)

I had always been taught that the pursuit of happiness was my natural (even national) birthright. It is the emotional trademark of my culture to seek happiness. Not just any kind of happiness, either, but profond happiness, even soaring happiness."

p.42-43, "Commited" by Elizabeth Gilbert