…We the sheep of the United States…do ordain and establish this Constitution of the Unites States of America…
Whatever happened to ‘The American Dream”? Did it die along with manifest destiny and the Native American demise? At some point between westward expansion and the civil rights movement did Americans cease to be Americans? What happened to our drive and motivation as a culture? We are supposed to be defined by our will to succeed - A race of people who left the tyranny and oppression of countries around the world to succeed on OUR OWN. At some point self-interest became taboo and unscrupulous. It has been likened to greed, pride and selfishness, but I argue that self-interest is a different animal altogether. Self-interest is the motivator – the igniter of a grand explosion of ideas and industry. Without this, we are lost. Without the quest for intellectual and spiritual fulfillment for ourselves, our own lives, we become a nation of complacency and conformity. The intensity of those great men who founded this country that challenged the mold and defied the masses has long since been forgotten. Who now dare to break free? How few are those who follow their dreams and take risks. We are in a time where the geniuses and profits are punished for being excellent – “How dare you excel! You are making the other children feel less special.” We live in the shallow end of the pool – catering to those who can’t swim. This is both disturbing and disappointing.
The American dream now is masked by corporate America and the marketing evils of television and advertising. We are now led to believe that our success is based on monetary status and how many ‘toys’ you own. This is all a façade. True success and the pure American dream is the dream of choice; that we have the choice to live how we want to. If we are poor - we can be rich, if we are lost - we can be found. If we long for nature - we can find it, and if we want infamy - it is ours. It is all in our own hands. We MAKE our dreams come true.
The pursuit of happiness is not for the lazy or meek at heart. It is a pursuit, a chase, a sprint! You must work for your wants and they will be yours. Somewhere along the line this idea was poisoned. The dream, now, has evolved into the opposite of what was once the great dream of America. Now there is no choice. The choice is status. The choice is a new car and a big-screen TV. “You cannot live simply – that is UN-AMERICAN!” The opportunities are there, but noone wants them. We want our life decided and our choices made. This is the great crack in the mold. It is the pinhole in a submarine and the broken leg of a giant. This small oversight will lead to our own demise as a whole. We must bring the drive back to America. We must put an end to the sheepery and encourage self-worth. Each individual has the ability and resources to achieve whatever it is their heart desires, and they are worthy of this great advantage.
