The Failure of the American Dream

[A.S. Deep]

While thinking about the many root causes of what's going on, and how those causes intersect, I came across this tweet.



And I can't help but agree.

From birth, the messaging is "You can do anything you want." "You can be anything you want."

But the truth is, that's not true, even for the cream of the crop of people. And as social mobility keeps decreasing, and income inequality keeps increasing, the gap between what people are told by society versus actual reality will continue to increase.

Even though I disagree with the hyperemotional reaction that's going on throughout the country, I understand it and empathize with it.

Imagine taking out a 6-figure loan for the promise of a 5-figure job, only to end up working at Starbucks. And if you do ever get your promised job... it'll probably be automated away within 20 years.

People of all races are hurting. Having lived in NYC and redneck Ohio... the issues were the same. Lack of opportunity. Hopelessness. Of course people turn to anger and drugs.

1) So what do you all think?
2) Any solutions in mind? I have a few (not my own, but stated by people much smarter than me)

@panamaican This seems like a topic you'd be good and nuanced with

 

[Cherry Brigand]

People still have the OPPORTUNITY to be successful. However, many (most?) seem to have lost the work ethic to get there, make terrible decisions along the way that they don’t take responsibility for and then blame the system instead of themselves when they don’t meet their own unrealistic expectations.
What people want is guaranteed success. Guess what...death and taxes.

 

[nac386]

The American Dream is alive and well. There are avenues in this country that lead to a better life, no matter where your starting point is.

But that also does not mean there are no structural changes that would benefit the country. The idea that a country is either perfect or fatally flawed is too simplified. Of course the country is flawed, and structures can be improved upon. But it's still a great country that provides great opportunity.

 

[BisexualMMA]

If you got three degrees on how to be angry about everything and thought NASA was going to pay you a billion dollars a year to tell everybody math and science make you angry, then you're lucky if they'll let you make change for people at a coffee shop.

 

[The Stoat]

There are too many entitled people today.

Do the best you can with the talent you've been given. But far too often people make bad decisions or just give up.

 

[Zazen]

I think it depends on what your goals are in life. I think too many people want it all without having the will to carry it out. I know I'm a lazy motherfucker, I'd rather be with my wife and kid or play video games. I prioritize my time over wealth.

That isn't to say there aren't problems though and sadly the policies that could benefit a lot of people are often met with comments like socialism or communism. I think our country should seriously consider having both universal healthcare and basic income so when people go through a rough patch in their lives they can bounce back a lot faster. If we have the money to constantly bail out the big corporations I think we can do something for the little guy.

 

[Get To Da Choppa]

This topic reminds me of this chart, and sadly I feel like we are close to the 'weak men create hard times' phase

 

[BisexualMMA]

This topic reminds me of this chart, and sadly I feel like we are close to the 'weak men create hard times' phase

Hey man all 76 genders are creating the hard times together.

 

[Queen B]

Pretty sure its the privileged that were promised that.
America needs to be reformed.

 

[all caps]

Maybe this is relevant

 

[MMAisGod]

Maybe this is relevant

I can't believe this video is almost 10 years old now. Wow.

 

[Hadron90]

Housing is the big one. It is rapidly becoming a pipe dream for most people to own their own home. My wife and I both have Masters degrees in STEM fields, and we are still struggling to save up for a home.

 

[ultramanhyata]

5 families could possess 90% of US wealth and you would still see indoctrinated lemmings insisting that the "American Dream" is alive and well and that everyone willing to put in the effort can obtain a generous piece of the pie.

You are a complete ignoramus if you don't clearly comprehend it is levels of magnitude more difficult for the generation currently entering the job market to achieve (just) middle class status than it was for those entering 50 years ago.

This is what people mean when they speak of the "failure" or breakdown of the American Dream. The breakdown is self-evident and beyond dispute.

 

[Whippy McGee]

We have had Leftists target and take over: Public Education, Colleges, Bureaucracies, and the Media (news and entertainment).

Along with that we have allowed Crony Capitalism (Gov't picking winners) to replace Free Market Capitalism, which is another big hit on the American Dream.

I don't see any way to recover it without a huge vomit by the system. People are realizing that these Institutions and Systems like our Big Cities are all run by Leftists / Democrats and they are failing, "We The People".

 

[Islam Imamate]

Off the top of my head I think the problem is that the American Dream morphed into a hedonistic monstrosity. At first the American dream was basically you can come here and believe whatever you want and live more or less how you want in accordance with your beliefs. Of course the East Coast got crowded and with the allure of the Frontier the American Dream morphed into "you and your family can brave hostile Natives and wildlife to own a few acres so you can toil as a subsistence farmer on your own land." which sounds like a shit life in 2020 but back then was a really sweet deal.

But with the post WWII prosperity the American Dream changed to "you too can own a house with a white picket fence and two cars and a bunch of stuff and retire at 62 all with just a high school diploma!" and of course that couldn't last forever with the industrial economies of the world recovering from WWII eventually so the last part changed to "with just a college degree" but of course even that has been revealed to be a sham given the student debt and housing crisis and the soaring costs of both.

The Amish are perhaps the last emblems of the old kind of American Dream. They basically just want property rights and the right to religious liberty.

 

[Diogenes of Sinope]

philosophy is armchair psychology, Change my mind.

The postmodernist approach to the American dream is flawed from a psychological perspective, because it establishes the pessimistic notion that "You can't be anything you want."
Where in psychology, it shows that successful people are unrealistically optimistic.


Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger for instance, People told him he was wasting his time with bodybuilding. He became the poster child for the "sport"

they told him he wouldn't be a marketable actor with his accent, ridiculous size, and unfortunate last name.
He became the highest paid actor of the 90s.

They told him he wouldn't be able to make it in politics

he became governor of California.

Same goes for Trump, the odds were stacked against him on all fronts but he succeeded. As soon as you say "I can't do this", you've already lost.

 

[Cherry Brigand]

5 families could possess 90% of US wealth and you would still see indoctrinated lemmings insisting that the "American Dream" is alive and well and that everyone willing to put in the effort can obtain a generous piece of the pie.

You are a complete ignoramus if you don't clearly comprehend it is levels of magnitude more difficult for the generation currently entering the job market to achieve (just) middle class status than it was for those entering 50 years ago.

This is what people mean when they speak of the "failure" or breakdown of the American Dream. The breakdown is self-evident and beyond dispute.

I’m sure failures like you were saying the same thing 25 years ago when I entered the job market. In fact I’m sure of it. My first job out of school was making 6(?) an hour. My second job was 23k a year. I learned skills along the way, missed some opportunities took advantage of others and for the most part am doing well. No reason The 22 year olds of today can’t do the same.

if you spent as much time learning and working as you do spewing your whiny crying on a karate forum maybe you too can achieve success.

 

[ultramanhyata]

I’m sure failures like you were saying the same thing 25 years ago when I entered the job market. In fact I’m sure of it. My first job out of school was making 6(?) an hour. My second job was 23k a year. I learned skills along the way, missed some opportunities took advantage of others and for the most part am doing well. No reason The 22 year olds of today can’t do the same.

if you spent as much time learning and working as you do spewing your whiny crying on a karate forum maybe you too can achieve success.

Translation: "Upward mobility was too easy for too long in America! Hopefully it will get even harder in the future. The American Dream is at its best when it's the hardest to achieve."

 

[TheTimeIsNotNow]

I’m sure failures like you were saying the same thing 25 years ago when I entered the job market. In fact I’m sure of it. My first job out of school was making 6(?) an hour. My second job was 23k a year. I learned skills along the way, missed some opportunities took advantage of others and for the most part am doing well. No reason The 22 year olds of today can’t do the same.

if you spent as much time learning and working as you do spewing your whiny crying on a karate forum maybe you too can achieve success.

Ok boomer

 

[Cherry Brigand]

Translation: "Upward mobility was too easy for too long in America! Hopefully it will get even harder in the future. The American Dream is at its best when it's the hardest to achieve."

Not even close. Keep chirping loser bird.