Hollywood's Depiction of the Quest for "Happiness," w/guest Molly McAshan

How do we define “happiness?” How has that search been depicted in film and television throughout the years, through introspective characters who seek greater meaning in their lives (American Beauty), to displays of marital trauma and the breakdown of long-term relationships (The Ice Storm, War of the Roses)? Has the defining of the American Dream as one based on material wealth had a deleterious effect on our well-being? And what does the increasing presence of therapists in society (Mad Men, Ordinary People, Sopranos) say about our sense of satisfaction with life? Returning as my guest is Molly McAshan, a Chicago-area mental-health professional and a film blogger. [Originally broadcast on WLUW's Under Surveillance in April 2009.]