Have we lost the American dream? As the journalists are so fond of saying - Wall Street has dumped a big load of mess onto Main Street. It amazes me how many cliches have been on the air about Main Street, Wall Street, the candidate that cares...these broad images that have little to do with reality. How many adjectives does it take to say that the economy is in a lot of trouble, because those in charge have failed to monitor. The oversight, the regulations (what little there are) - have not kept us from this place. We stand here, because of a failure. Now, how can we fix it? Can we allude to something deeper and stop dumbing down the message? Having this economic trainwreck during the election is something akin to giving a fire bug a ton of matches. "Come on baby light my fire!" The Doors said it. The public seems to say it also. We google words from Palin like "Hockey mom" and "joe sixpack." We follow the Dow's gymnastics like the really loud preachers on television...only the prosperity gospel has gone south.
The prosperity gospel is not preaching so good right now. Put your faith in the market. Take down all of those regulations! We need to let freedom and the greenback reighn. Well it reigned and now it is raining. So where does this leave us, besides a bunch of politicians jockeying for the right sound byte and position on the new side of the King of the Hill? The listening public needs to sometimes take a step back and say, "Hey. This guy's saying this why?" It makes the news harder these days - when the experts barely know what is going on with the economy. But, we still have a job to discern the message.
There is still something to this American Dream. It would be a wonderful thing - if those that worked hard - could get ahead. So what is the path? What is the road out of this failure? It can't be rounded up in scare tactics, cliche images of all American people rolling up their sleeves. What it takes is some dedicated legislators, some activist, some watch groups, some luck... and a whole lot of hope. Hope is what drives a large part of our economy. The confidence of the consumer..the confidence of banks. If you believe in it, it happens somehow? Doesn't it.
I really hope so.
Nice turn of phrase. I love reading your blogs! They are always well written.
"Never go with a hippy to a second location."
~Jack Donaghy
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Thank you. I'm a self avowed word-a-phile ;).
My Blog: www.progressiveu.org/blog/jlepp-journey
Growing up, I never truly understood the concept of the American dream.
Now that I do, I fear it's slipping away. I hope not.
My Blog: http://progressiveu.org/blog/kkhanna
How do you define it now?
My Blog: www.progressiveu.org/blog/jlepp-journey
My version of the American dream involves finding happiness outside of wealth. Which is odd, considering most people think of it as defying social stratification and gaining wealth. Today, I cherish happiness more than anything in the world. If only I wouldn't have to worry about living on the streets when I'm older...
My Blog: http://progressiveu.org/blog/kkhanna
I think there are more people that want to find happiness outside of wealth and outside of measurable means than the prevalent message in our culture would have us believe.
My Blog: www.progressiveu.org/blog/jlepp-journey
At first, it seems pretty hopeless, doesn't it? But I suppose it's not that I'm completely alone in thinking this; I'm probably one of few to admit it.
My Blog: http://progressiveu.org/blog/kkhanna
The American dream is not lost, but it is gradually slipping away. Our actions domestically and internationally have put us in a hole. Many people abroad no longer see the United States as a country of golden streets, and even worse, neither do the people who reside here either. Hope is what we need, I agree. Hope in our future, hope for a better leader who will energize the youth who will come into power to revive the American dream, and provide the means to prosper again. Rising college costs aren't really helping either, which is the main road in America to getting a good career.
We were ruined by human instinct, where we are never satisfied. But as humans, we have the means to control our actions, and that is what Americans are going to have to do. Not focus entirely on themselves, but on the community around them. Let's just hope people decide to open their eyes, and take action in their lives.
I like how you say that we are ruined by instinct. I think that can be somewhat true, though there are some very good things that we do instinctually. (Protecting our young...) Yet, you are on to something. It is that step of thinking a bit further than the immediate "I want" that has become such a golden truth in our way of life in the States. The "I must have it" is not sustainable economically, environmentally, or ethically.
I hope that being smart can get back into fashion already. We don't need a return to Reagan's "Shining City on the Hill" references...we need to move forward.
My Blog: www.progressiveu.org/blog/jlepp-journey