I think the American Dream is dead.
And I believe this is a good thing.
I believe that my generation--the generation that entered their 30s at the time of the biggest housing crash we've ever seen--has a new dream.
Remember the Truman Show? All about the dream of living in a perfect house, having a secure job, and 2.5 kids. And it all turned out to be a nightmare where the guy was trapped in a manufactured world where someone else decided what would make him happy--and that someone else was ultimately the advertising companies sponsoring his show.
The old dream is manufactured. Do we really need a huge house? Is it really so horrible if we have to change jobs every 3 years? Are our possessions REALLY the source of our joy?
Nope. And I'm proud of my generation for waking up from this dream to embrace a better dream.
Do we need a place to rest our heads?
Yes. But it doesn't need to be huge. It can be a simple little one-bedroom apartment. As long as it is warm and we have room for our books and a small kitchen table where we can host friends and share a good meal.
Do we need to have a car?
Yes. But it just needs to get me from point A to point B.
Technology has paved the way for this new brand of thinking. Technology has become streamlined and simple. All we want to do--inside of one perfect little gadget.
All we really need--we possess within ourselves. The heart to love, ears to listen, a voice to share our opinions and our love, a curious mind, lungs that expand with laughter...hands to hold the ones we love.
This is the new American Dream.
2 comments:
I think about this a lot and you have written how I feel perfectly!
My American dream is to be happy. My American dream involves my friends and my love because I have full of love to give. My dream is that one day I can look back and say, I may have been rich or poor but I had the best time.
I want to be sad to leave this earth when I do. Not because I missed out on so many people or experiences but because I had so many good times. I want to look back and smile and feel the love that memories of good friends can leave.
Thanks for writing this Evey!
(Funny sidenote: My word verification for this comment is retro!)
I agree that it is not about the huge house, the nicest car, the best clothes that revolve with every season, but i supppppoooooosssseeee that is because I have not had those things (or even the HOPE of those things) for so long and I find myself frequently and relatively happy despite it all.
One thing though, it IS good for a child to feel that their home, car, and lunch is secure. I had none of that as a child and it stressed me out all the time. I want my children to not know those struggles, that is for sure, but I am not really sure I can do any more than I am doing right now about it. I guess what I am saying, is that the "dream" is changed for sure, but my dream as always only been stability and I would like to think that that is not completely out of my hands.
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