For all my life the American Dream has been forefront in the lives of most people I’ve known; always struggling to forge ahead and to be in a position to afford that new automobile, or that huge new home, or the latest new devices. That dream has all but disappeared today for most. It’s time to consider some new values that don not rely on material possessions to make us happy. That is the subject of this piece of writing.
It was James Adams who came up with the term The American Dream back in 1931. Remember, that was just a couple of years after the bottom slipped out of the economy, resulting in the worst depression this country had seen or saw since. So I say Mr. Adams was really being hopeful.
I wonder if he would still be that hopeful today, if he were still alive? I don’t believe it and I will tell you the rationale why: By 1931 the industrial revolution that started in the 18th century had increased the average earning power across the world by 10 fold; there was more than enough of cheap energy and abundance of naturally occuring resources. That has all changed today; we’re on the downward curve of the energy bell and resources are declining.
Our economy is reliant on a continuing expansion pattern of 2% to 5% yearly. Nevertheless according to the law of exponential growth, nothing can keep growing without coming to a crash. What is going to be the results of a total crash of the economy? It would mean a far a worst depression than the great depression of the 30s. It would mean mass unemployment like the county has never witnessed before.
No one can say for certain when such a crash will occur, however it is absolutely certain that it will. The only thing which will stop it is if the GDP (GDP) levels out to 0. But if that happens there would still be a great depression and great unemployment. When the GDP drops, it implies less products produced and sold, so less employees needed; so we can’t win either way.
What could change the direction we are headed? A new sort of cheep energy and new industries that don’t rely on naturally occuring resources that are depleting could help.
Nevertheless there isn’t anything at present that meets those 2 necessities and nothing in sight. Even if those 2 wants do materialize in our lifetime, it’s still going to require a change in pace that is much more straightforward than our present way of living.
Today plenty of the population is choked into the large cities, generally, are endeavoring to keep floating financially. Public services are being re-evaluated down. Parts of Detroit Michigan are now living on darkened streets because the town is no longer able to pay the electrical bill. It appears this will be permanent since the light poles have been ripped out. Towns across the US are wrestling with similar Problems and some states are near bankruptcy.
If the American Dream is dependent on a robust economy, and it’s, then we will conclude that the American Dream is now the impossible dream as the economy is a long way from ever getting back to where it was before 2008. Actually regardless of what the politicians would like for us to believe, it will not get there anytime soon, if ever, and more than likely not in most of our lifetime.
This may seem to be all negative but not correct. The American dream wasn’t real for the majority anyway. What could actually be a positive result’s getting back to the fundamentals of life and realizing those things that are more vital than living an imaginary American Dream that needs both partner and other half to work, spending little time together as a family, placing more emphasis on things and having little time to enjoy the things they work so long to get.
Let us forget the American Dream for a second and think instead on the American Privilege. It is a great privilege to live in America, the land of the free. Here is the difference it makes: Most US citizens have roof over their head, have food to eat and attire to wear and have transportation, that means we are in the top 15% of the richest folks in the world. Instead of bothering with the American dream, if we targeted on living within our means and used some of the extra cash to help the poor and destitute of the world, we then would reach a dream far more valuable. We could aid in saving the lives of little youngsters across the. World. 26,000 youngsters will die today across the world from starvation and treatable illness. Satisfy a better dream; start supporting needy youngsters today: CompassionInternational.com
I enjoy the modern day comforts of life, but I do not require a home so giant that it requires me making a big income to afford the price. I have resided in large and small houses and have proved that living in a giant home makes me no happier. Driving a new automobile makes me no happier. Also , I have discovered that living above my means does make me sad.
There is nothing wrong with working hard and needing to do well and reaching your dreams. It is wrong however making it the emphasis of your life, and believing that getting things will satisfy the wants of the heart. Things won’t make a person happy, neither will success. The gigantic home and the nice automobile and all of the other gadgets that money can buy don’t bring fulfillment and purpose and certainly not happiness.
The TV show, Keeping up with the Kardashians is a sampling of the American Dream, though perhaps exaggerated. A recent group has gotten together a petition of thousands of signatures to try to get the programme removed from Television. Their claim is, we feel that these shows are generally staged, and place importance on vanity, greediness, promiscuity, vulgarity and over-the-top extravagant consumption .
The show appears to me to be yet another example of the more we get the more we’d like; ever making an attempt to fill that gap that is within the heart. Man is born on a search to alleviate the vacuum that they feel within their heart, and typically never realizing that it is the lack of God that they long for and it can’t be filled by amassing more material precessions.
A while ago I read in the yahoo reports the NBA league and players couldn’t resolve their disagreements concerning money. The millions that they make aren’t really enough. There’s a struggle between the league owners and the players to determine which can get the maximum cash from the 4 billion greenbacks available. Games were postponed. Maybe it’s time for the fans that generally make a small part of what they make to boycott them for a bit. Cash will never satisfy, nor will an individual ever get too much of it.
So if there is something good that can come out of this time of change, it is that there must be a change, a change in how we live and think; a return to an easier lifestyle; importance on the things which do make life more enjoyable, like the family, relations and the focus on spiritual matters that’ve been neglected, a return to God as a country.
Will this basically occur? I might hope so nevertheless it is not likely so long as most folks still are of the opinion that if they could just make enough bucks to buy that big house in the right neighborhood and drive their dream car then they might be cheerful. The doleful thing is when they do eventually arrive there, if they do, most of their life will already be spent.
Conclusion
I’m going to tell you actually what makes my life meaningful is my relationship with God. It gives me purpose daily that I don’t have to wait on. It gives the joy and happiness that my heart longs for. It fills the vacuum in my heart with God’s presence. Maybe if you agree with me that the American Dream is now the impossible dream, you might be prepared to switch your direction and learn the best way to have a relationship with God.
About the author: Jimmie Burroughs is an inspirational speaker and writer who has been concerned in teaching Christian Private Development for at least 30 years. There are over 600 articles to help on his website in your personal growth. Be sure to take vantage of the FREE offer to get the ebook The 4 Pillars for Personal Development while available.