What is the American Dream?

April 28, 2022

Here is one take on the American Dream, from Maggie's Farm.

The opening paragraphs:

I recently took a poll about whether the American Dream is a myth or fact, and whether it's more achievable or less so today. I know my views aren't the same as most, but I think my take on the American Dream makes it more attainable than ever. The American Dream is whatever you want it to be, and ultimately it's whether or not you're happy with yourself and your life. It's not money, it's not home ownership, it's not success or fame. It may be, if those are things you believe will make you happy. However, if you're happy and you like yourself and your life, then you've achieved the American Dream. In many nations, just surviving is a problem, and in many advanced nations, living your life with limited intereference from elites, politicians, cranks and other non-essentials is impossible. In the US, it's not impossible to go through life while limiting external interference, and focus on your own happiness. (Allow me to clarify - there is always external interference, but how you deal with it and react to it is what enables you to limit its impact on your life.) So why do a fairly large number of people believe the Dream is no longer achievable, or that it is/was a myth? Why are there so many people who currently feel the Dream is unachievable, or less achievable than when their parents were younger?

Since I was a child, the term "The American Dream" led to assumptions of getting rich, having fame, having financial stability, owning a home. In the last 30 years, we've seen the first happen for a select few (tech specialists/entrepreneurs), home ownership skyrocket then collapse (2008), success/fame seems to have ups and downs (OK, Boomer), and financial stability is something more people seem to say isn't available (I know that I have spent over 2 years on unemployment in the last 22 years, but I'd still say financial stability is available and readily attainable if you apply yourself). It is the broad assumptions regarding The Dream which make it understandable that select groups of people will feel it's not attainable. But as bad as the broad definition is, there's another thing that helps craft and magnify the negative psyche. Social media, which is widely maligned, is an ecosystem which this blog is part of. It provides the ability to reach people at an individual level, allowing the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas. You get to choose where you get your information and resources from by visiting sources you prefer and which comfort or inform you. As a result, if you're negative, you'll tend to collect information from purveyors of negative views, and discount positive views. More importantly, if you read about others doing well, having success, and having things you don't have - social media can compound whichever views you have developed. It magnifies the effect of information collection. It has, as a result of tech manipulation, managed to promote an assumption that 'now there is more bad than good'. This, in turn, has raised the awareness regarding the unachievable nature of the American Dream as a concept for many people. As a regular user (and provider, here at Maggie's) of social media, I have astutely avoided the negativity because I utilize many varied sources of information rather than just social media. Social media is a net good, but as it has been used by the poorly educated, it's created a kind of tunnel vision and/or echo chamber. It is the comfort food of information resources. When I first entered this realm, over 10 years ago, it was explained to me that when you see people on Facebook or Twitter living a presumably dream life, usually the image you see makes you feel worse about your own situation - even if their situation isn't really a "dream life". Example - I have a good friend who made a fortune in tech years ago. She travels wherever she wants, whenever she wants, and I love seeing her pictures. Am I jealous? Secretly...yes (oops, not so secret now), but not really. Where others feel like "why does she have it so good, and I am stuck here at home?", I simply say "Good for her, I'll get there someday. Or I won't. But I'm happy for her." Many people, however, just remain intensely jealous and feel bad they can't live her life. I know people who have said "I wish she'd stop posting." Me? I love seeing where she goes. It's exhilarating and helps me form ideas for places I'd like to see.

Set the goal high and then keep raising it is a recipe for disappointment, if not disaster. To me, the American Dream means me creating a better life for my children than I had....