happiness- a study

For the last few years I've been particularly interested and concerned with what I have at best been able to call, "the problem of abundance" or "plagued by choice." I came to the conclusion that in spite of all the freedoms, luxuries and options most Americans have today they are by and large not as happy as people from other places.
Not only that, but I also noticed that there is almost a conversely true principle that people from much poorer places I'd been were much happier. I also noticed the affect that America had on the children of immigrants that I noticed to be very happy and after growing up in all the freedoms, luxuries and options that the US offered these children were often filled with the same angst and emptiness that I could easily recognize in myself and everyone else. So what is it about? I can't necessarily say what its about for everyone but for me its in part about feeling like I'm supposed to be great and well off and happy all the time and if I'm not it means I'm a failure. Its like somehow I couldn't take advantage of this world of opportunity at my feet.
I've really had to do a lot of growth and therapy to get over issues like this. I think that there is a lot of merit in just living and trying to be good. Be good to the people around you. Be good at what you do. Its all the new agey stuff of living with intent and purpose that you can hear all over the place now, but I believe part of the reason we're hearing more of it is because we've drifted so far from that in our pursuit of happiness and success.
I just read an interesting article from the economist about this topic that I recommend.
Here's how the article starts off, "THE World Database of Happiness, in Rotterdam, collects all the available information about what makes people happy and why. According to the research, married, extroverted optimists are happier than single, pessimistic introverts, and Republicans are happier than Democrats. Nurses enjoy life more than bankers, and it helps to be religious, sexually active and a college graduate with a short commute to work. The wealthy experience more mirth than the poor, but not much. Most people say they are happy, but perhaps that is because they are expected to be." click here for the article.