He lives in the good times in Israel. The King, Jereboam II, is powerful. Israel is at peace with all her neighbors. The economy is booming. There's full employment.
Life is good.
And here comes Amos. Israel's peace and prosperity is the way God means for things to be. It's Israel's birthright. Amos would sure like to get with the program. He says over and over again that this prophet's job wasn't his idea.