ABSTRACT
This introduction chapter presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of the book. The book explores the extent to which an incomprehensible happiness as promoted by contemporary media does indeed rest on an incomprehensible condition. It provides a psychological and social look at the gap between reality and the expectations created by the media. The book looks at a range of situations where films, television and advertising sell modern day fairytales. By identifying them as modern myths, but ancient fantasies, the book deconstructs contemporary cultural discourses around age, gender, money therapy and relationships. Using psychological insights, language and terminology, the book explores how the myth of happiness has permeated our culture, and this includes the culture of therapy itself. In so doing it implicitly provides a means through which to achieve greater contentment in real life. It turns out the trick is not to buy into the seductive world of make-believe.
