it's a lot more complicated than some people try to make it, that much is for sure. These math wiz' from all over the world that america selfishly uses are exceptions, a process Michio Kaku called "sucking up the big brains of the world". Also, immigrants have generally been a hungrier peoples than most citizens, not only because of the personality type itself but also because they are fresh and unjaded. I've known many immigrants come over and even though their immigrant relatives tell them not to, they still send them photos of shit they have and it lures them over to be uber drivers or work at am/pm's where they have the privilige of working long days for less than minimum wage and are able to buy new cars so they can take their turn sending pictures to the folks back home. Americans of just about every stripe are lazy as fuck, i don't care what they are, if they've been here more than a generation they are usually useless, which is the reason they keep bringing fresh blood in, employers know how useless most americans are.
As far as immigrants and money, well, if making a few bucks and having no self respect about how you're treated is success then they are winning. Personally, I don't have a lot of money, it's never been my goal, i've placed a lot of time into things that don't pay and i've lost a lot because of it but it's my choice and I don't see how I'd have done anything different, jobs i've had have all been exploitive and poor paying, so after a string of them, I just don't even worry about it, it's not something 100 percent in most people's hands so why worry about it? But, this capitalistic society being what it is, people judge everything by the bullshit, which has no true reflection on how hard you work, how decent you are as a person or how smart you are. Also, the immigrants of all kinds are america's secret weapon, really is, from the housecleaners and nannies to the student visa demographic that we take in. American kids, black or white aren't exactly doing that good in school, and sorry to say, even though the bootstrap bullshit and the "work hard" that people put forth is a mantra, most of the people who say it are lazy as fuck, some were left money, some had good contacts, some are also broken to bits and hooked on drugs and alcohol, but I can't say I've seen a lot of hard working americans. Give the immigrants that, they keep this shit running, in fact, when my east Indian buddy was quaking in his boots about trump, i told him not to worry about it because the country would fall apart without immigrant labor but that they love it when you're scared shitless, makes it easier to squeeze more out of you and treat you any way they can.
It's not as simple as you're trying to make it and the work part is an almost meaningless part of it
I hear you and agree with a lot of what you say. I too think it's all Americans of every color who have been here multiple generations who are too complacent/don't apply themselves to the degree an immigrant will. Those who come over and even their kids are able to see the truth of the American dream and that if they get As on everything all the way through college while taking a "real" major, they're going to be just fine. And that's what they want. A legit chance at/path to success based on merit. You still get that in the US. Everyone does. A house, car, etc. are all side benefits to that success.
But I hear you on the ones who are low or no-skill workers, too. It's rough on anyone from anywhere if you aren't valuable to an employer for something. That's what I try to teach my kids. You have to figure out what you're good at (math, science, business, medicine), whatever it is you can do and excel at that not just "anyone" can do and it will all work itself out from there. You work hard and hone your skills and with that comes success. If you can do something that only 1-in-10,000 people can do, you're on your way. Think of it that way. Or,...
If I can teach someone your job or role within the organization within a week or so (or worse, in a day or hours), you're not going to make very much money. Ever, unless you change that dynamic. If I can't teach them what you can do in less than several years, or because you're so special I can't teach them period and would have to replace you with someone else with your great and unique skills, then obviously you will be compensated accordingly.
It's a pretty simple formula here in the US and is right there for anyone. People from all over prove it every day even by starting their own businesses in addition to working in the corporate world, which they obviously do. Restaurants, lawn care companies, stores, gas stations, car lots, anything their heart desires.
I hear you on school, too. Ours suck here. They are nothing more than day cares, warehousing idiots in babysitter fashion and teaching them nothing of value these days. Our children and children's children will mostly work for immigrants and the children and children's children of immigrants because they're just plain more skilled in mathematics, science, IT, business, medicine, the works, really. It sucks.
And think of this...
There are what, 1.7B people in India? That's a lot. And they GRIND in school. Now get this. They are all expected to grind like mad on actual schoolwork, not liberal theory and horseshit like our kids. And here's the kicker:
There are more children in honors programs in India than there are children period in The United States.
That's scary.
Now throw in China. Yikes. Don't forget Pakistan, Nigeria, etc., etc., etc. as well and I sure have seen a seemingly endless supply of EXTREMELY well-educated individuals willing to work long hours for (relatively) low
starting pay---looking long-term as to where they will be in 20, 30 and 40 years from now.
I have a hard time explaining that kind of forward-looking "planning" to my kids, and to be honest I was worse than they are.
I never even thought about becoming 30 years old and was 25 or so before I ever realized "I better grow up or I'm going to be scraping by, driving this beater car and living in this efficiency forever". Money alone was never my goal, but I knew I needed more than I had, which is not saying much. lol
Anyway, like you mention I prefer to leave a legacy of being good to those who know me and taking care of my family and friends as opposed to measuring my bank account against someone else's (which is good, because I still don't fare that well on that front), but I'll never think that any physically and mentally able person can't find great success in the US regardless of race, because I already know that they can. So I would have to pull the ol' "don't believe your lyin' eyes" to fall into that cult of thought.
