In some ways, Happiness may have actually helped American soldiers get through both World War I and World War II. In the article “War and the American Pursuit of Happiness,” Milwaukee journalist Kathleen Parker states that “The opportunity to pursue happiness is what fuels our drive and will to fight for and preserve freedom” (Parker) . This feeling of pride and unity also plays an important role when talking about war and its connection to happiness. Even when times are bad, the sense of togetherness brings us together; we are all going through the same hardships, thus creating relationships and friendships that would ease the tumultuous emotions of war. However, unlike the opportunities for prosperity available to Americans after a period of war or even when experiencing poverty, the same cannot be said of the rest of the world and how they handle their poor and weary citizens. Even in our modern age, the poor are still forgotten; this does not necessarily mean that they are unhappy in life, but they are substantially more susceptible to poorer living conditions than the average American who would otherwise be unhappy living a better life