America promises Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Unfortunately, we've come to define happiness as Status, and measure it in salaries, cars, houses, facebook vacation photos and instagram-worthy restaurant meals.

The rising tide of the last century has lifted all our boats in many ways. But there are still real systematic problems (income inequality, huge rises in the costs of education, housing, and healthcare) and many Americans aren't suited for the ongoing transfer of power from labor to capital.

Perhaps the newer definition of poverty should be "when people face systematic barriers to stability AND view a meaningful life as one of Status rather than Happiness?