mijan | The American Dream

I read an article the other day about the death of the American Dream.

I say BULL SHIT.

Let me tell you what the American Dream USED TO BE.

Once upon a time, the average American dreamed of owning a car, and a small house (three bedrooms, average size 10'x10', total square footage maybe 1,200 square feet). He dreamed of taking a vacation to the coast, or maybe someday to Paris if he got really really lucky. He was thrilled when he brought home his family's first TV set, and they could sit together and watch the news and "I Love Lucy." He bought his daughter a jump rope and a new sweater for her birthday, and she was happy with it. His son got a set of marbles and a slingshot, and that was really cool. When the kids get old enough, they even get a bicycle... so they could get a paper route or bike to school.

How would Mr. American reach his dream? Well, he'd save up his money. He'd either work his way up from the bottom at a company, or start his own. Maybe he'd become a tradesman. Maybe, if he wanted to be wealthy, he'd got a Bachelor's Degree. If he wanted to be really RICH, he'd become a doctor or lawyer. Then maybe he would buy a 2,500 square foot house, and his family would have TWO cars. What amazing wealth!

And when he finally achieved the American Dream, he'd take care of it. He'd maintain his house, keep his yard clean, do upkeep on his belongings, and work to preserve the dream he'd built for himself. He'd save his money to make sure he could afford the essentials before buying the extras.

What's the American Dream now? Well, according to some people...

Now, we need oversized houses to match our oversized lifestyles. McMansions dot the suburbs. A house needs to be at least 3,500 square feet before a person feels that he's "made it in life." One car? Try three. Now, we buy a new TV every two years to keep up with changing technology. The "old" TV goes in a kid's room, or the basement of our oversized house. A 42" flat screen is a bare minimum for so many people. We need a computer in every room, for every family member. We need cell phones and blackberries. A kid has a birthday? Hurry up and gift wrap the i-Pod, the Playstation, the Wii, plus designer clothes and accessories. Oh, and remember the women also need manicures, pedicures, facials, hair highlights, and at least 50 pairs of shoes in the closet.

Jobs? We've created a stratified economy of transient jobs that never create wealth or a future for workers, and a system that rewards debt and punishes frugality. It's a mess. Most people need a specialized degree to get any decent job, and a small fortune (or a lifetime of debt) to pay for the education. This has been turned on its head.

You see, it's not that we can't achieve the "American Dream." It's that we're too greedy to recognize it, and too lazy to maintain it.

I have a nice three-bedroom house. It's not huge, but it's plenty big for me. My wife and I share a car, and it's enough. We have one television, and it's plenty. And our plan is to take what we have and maintain it. I've reached my American Dream, and I'm not done yet. The question is... can we recognize "the American Dream" for what it was meant to be?