“The pursuit of happiness,” Thomas Jefferson equated with “Life and Liberty,” when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. More than a century later, from 1930 until 1940, America and the world strained under the greatest decade of economic disaster in history. Then, WWII brought the plight of war across the globe. Since then, Americans have experienced wealth untold from that generation to this.

But, does the accumulation of possessions or its allure set us up for a great fall? I believe so. It is true that the recent decade has witnessed increased poverty; and yet, the recessio...