The American Dream is Dead

[Danne92e]

Millions of people in America are working hard simply to survive. All to the point that there's no room to invest in their future. And society doesn't help them get out of that trap. The American Dream is dead.



Anyone here who agrees?

 

[SmokeALib]

Work hard to achieve success? The hell you say.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

I got out of prison in 88/89. I now have a thriving remodeling business. From the bottom to the proverbial top.

If you are floundering in life, look in the mirror for the solution.

 

[Danne92e]

Of course there will always be exceptions. But in general, the society doesn't allow people's hard work to lead to success. Watch the video and hear all the arguments!

 

[MarathonMike]

Of course there will always be exceptions. But in general, the society doesn't allow people's hard work to lead to success. Watch the video and hear all the arguments!

I know all the arguments, I've heard them all my life. It isn't "society" that keeps hard working people from achieving success. I assume by success you mean some level of financial security and/or independence.

You have to work hard at eliminating debt. Student loan debt is a terrible problem and contributes to the feeling of hopelessness. You also have to understand how money works because if you don't you will always work harder than your money and you will never get on the right side of the curve.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Of course there will always be exceptions. But in general, the society doesn't allow people's hard work to lead to success. Watch the video and hear all the arguments!

But in general, the society doesn't allow people's hard work to lead to success.

In general, baloney.

 

[Mac1958]

There are many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to people who are fortunate enough to live here.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to a kid.
.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Of course there will always be exceptions. But in general, the society doesn't allow people's hard work to lead to success. Watch the video and hear all the arguments!

Of all the people I still keep in touch with from my childhood, several of them have achieved relative success or more and several have not. Of the ones who have not, I can tell you exactly why and it doesn't have shit to do with society. It has to do with them making bad decisions, plain and simple.

 

[Mac1958]

Of course there will always be exceptions. But in general, the society doesn't allow people's hard work to lead to success. Watch the video and hear all the arguments!

Of all the people I still keep in touch with from my childhood, several of them have achieved relative success or more and several have not. Of the ones who have not, I can tell you exactly why and it doesn't have shit to do with society. It has to do with them making bad decisions, plain and simple.

Yep. And many of those people will blame others for their situation.
.

 

[Cellblock2429]

I got out of prison in 88/89. I now have a thriving remodeling business. From the bottom to the proverbial top.

If you are floundering in life, look in the mirror for the solution.

/----/ Good for you. Libs with no record and a free pass to education sit around whining that life is not fair.

 

[petro]

I got a decent house, a nice ride, a couple man toys.
Seems my hard work is paying off.

 

[OldLady]

There are many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to people who are fortunate enough to live here.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to a kid.
.

many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.
Who?

 

[Mac1958]

There are many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to people who are fortunate enough to live here.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to a kid.
.

many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.
Who?

Those who want to convince the American public that (a) capitalism is a negative in our lives, (b) those who have achieved and attained more than they have victimized them in some way, and (c) those who are more successful than they are do not deserve it ("you didn't build that") and must be questioned and ostracized.

Regressives, for the most part.
.

 

[OldLady]

There are many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to people who are fortunate enough to live here.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to a kid.
.

many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.
Who?

Those who want to convince the American public that (a) capitalism is a negative in our lives, (b) those who have achieved and attained more than they have victimized them in some way, and (c) those who are more successful than they are do not deserve it ("you didn't build that") and must be questioned and ostracized.

Regressives, for the most part.
.

Bernie Sanders supporters?
I don't think this guy is quite that innocent.

 

[my2¢]

I sort of agree to extent that the government takes and takes to a point where it seems no matter who we vote for, any working stiff will continue to be a slave to the state.

 

[Mac1958]

There are many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to people who are fortunate enough to live here.

What a horrible fucking thing to do to a kid.
.

many who have a vested professional interest in convincing Americans that hard work and sacrifice no longer work.
Who?

Those who want to convince the American public that (a) capitalism is a negative in our lives, (b) those who have achieved and attained more than they have victimized them in some way, and (c) those who are more successful than they are do not deserve it ("you didn't build that") and must be questioned and ostracized.

Regressives, for the most part.
.

Bernie Sanders supporters?
I don't think this guy is quite that innocent.

Some, sure. His younger supporters have the traditional shallow understanding of this topic that young people have always had. It's one thing to play the Politics of Envy, but trying to convince people that hard work and sacrifice no longer work - in America - is a different animal altogether.
.

 

[OldLady]

Like most things, there's a little truth to what he says. Nothing is ever all one way or another, though.

 

[SYTFE]

Millions of people in America are working hard simply to survive. All to the point that there's no room to invest in their future. And society doesn't help them get out of that trap. The American Dream is dead.



Anyone here who agrees?

I get some of the points you're trying to make. But you have to understand that America isn't built on the same foundations as the other countries you mention in the video, free healthcare, free food for schoolchildren, free education, 1 year maternity leave, etc. We haven't "gotten there" yet. We're still a relatively young country, still very tied up with ruthless capitalism. We only have a few of those socialistic elements in our culture, but they're kept at bay, so to speak. For as great as America is, it is still a ruthless, fairly cutthroat place. It will take some time before we implement more of those socialistic elements in our culture, and we will, eventually because we'll have to. He'll, there's already talks of implementing a universal income.

You're correct that Americans work harder and longer hours than Europeans. If there's one lie that we've been sold, it's that "working harder" will lead to greater financial success. All we have to do is ask the disappearing middle class how well that "working harder" stuff is working out for them. The real key is working smarter, and that means building your own business is the only pathway to financial success. Fortunately, America is the perfect climate for entrepreneurship. But it's not an easy path by any means, you'll work even harder and longer hours building your own business than you would working for someone else...but hey, it beats living your life as a slave.

 

[Danne92e]

You have to work hard at eliminating debt. Student loan debt is a terrible problem and contributes to the feeling of hopelessness.

Exactly. In America, where capitalism has almost no regulations, people can't afford education because of debt. Compare that to countries like Sweden, that also has capitalism – but regulated capitalism – education is not only free for ALL, you actually get money each month for studying! Everyone gets a fair chance to succeed in life, if they only work hard!

There is a reason why Sweden has more dollar billioners per capita than America – and that reason is capitalism under regulations. A government that first and formost take care of the people, not the capital.

 

[John Shaw]

The education system is rigged. Or, rather, it's a scam. That much is true. It is designed to rape young people and siphon the little money they have into some rich old fucker's pockets. In that sense, it's despicable, since the old are financially eating their young.

However ... no matter how bad things seem, you can move past it. The downside? Most young people can't really do the whole "white picket fence" thing. We have to live selfishly. And the consequences for that are .. yet to be determined.