Lucas is happy. This is a very provoking thing to the world because people aren't supposed to be happy, they're only supposed to want to be happy, because how otherwise are you supposed to be able to sell things to them?
-- Lucas (Pages 1 – 14)

Importance: Lucas' perspective that happiness, and the withholding of it is a tool of the consumer culture carries throughout the short story. At the beginning of the work he sees himself as apart from, and above, the people around him who need to buy things in order to feel connected to the world. He has chosen to avoid human connection so he does not have to feel the disappointment of constantly yearning for happiness yet not being able to find it.

I'm no expert. But I think most people who want to be happy try to add things to their lives. But really what maybe they should be doing is...
-- Lucas (Pages 31 – 67)