What Is The American Dream?

*Originally published September 14, 2009*

Does anyone ever take a step back or the time to consider this “dream” that most Americans adopt? From adolescence to adulthood, we embrace this broad term as a philosophy for our mere being and purpose in life. The American Dream, as I view it, is to acquire. It is to acquire, not for others, but for one’s self which is an exceptionally selfish act. Americans, as a whole, hold this dream to be one of prosperity. What must be realized is for one to prosper, others must wane. Thus, our dream is to advance materialistically at the expense of other people’s well-being and survival. With that, your pursuit of the fulfillment of the American Dream, only allows for you to be exploited for others to bring the imaginary dream to reality.

Everyone has their own definition of the term; but in all sense, they typically do not differ greatly.

My own averaged interpretation goes something like this: Build up enough wealth to own a home–and land–as well as a sufficient amount to care for yourself and family with enough wealth to spare for nonessential “needs”. The major problem lies in the “nonessential needs” category; not saying that the owning of a home, food, and clothing for your family does not exhibit a problem in itself.

We all are in pursuit of this dream for it has been instilled in us since we developed a sense of understanding. So, the mentality is, inevitably, “acquire as much as I can“. In turn, the price of our consumption is at the cost of others. That’s where privatization begins to engulf social responsibility. Capitalist mentality is to control resources–currency, land, as well as power.

In a government such as the United States’, little power is–supposedly–granted to the government itself and is imposed upon the citizens. The role of the government is to protect its citizens and to ensure fairness which is implemented by way of legislation and regulation. The ideals of free market are also backed by the government, who only serves as an overseer. As corporations engage in actions that infringe on the citizens’ health, regulations are put into place by the government to assure its promise of protection. An example would be a corporation manufacturing a product and, to control costs, pollute a community’s water source. As the above mentioned becomes a trend, regulations are put into place to prescribe proper practices of disposal of hazardous material. Another example is exposing workers to unsafe conditions. Also, giving menial compensation to a corporation’s employees are seen as a violation of the welfare of a country’s citizens. Thus, other regulations are, then, sprung into existence. Also, taxes, imposed to insure the implementation of the plan, are to be paid to the federal government. But, this is seen as an act that poses a threat to the possibility of achieving the American Dream by the corporations, executives, and shareholders. So, what is done?

A cheaper method of operating, for the purpose of maximizing profits, must be constructed. The obvious way to escape the strict regulations and expensive taxes is to operate outside of the country that imposes the restrictions and stipends thrust upon them. So, companies look elsewhere to partake in their manufacturing (or whatever its means of producing its products) operations. But, that in itself imposes a great challenge. What other country? Stable, more “modern” nations as technologically advanced as the United States will not allow its land and air to be polluted for monetary gain at the expense of its citizens. The only other logical option would be “underdeveloped” nations. But in underdeveloped nations, civil war, instability, and the absence of free markets, make it nearly impossible to operate. The goal is to find an underdeveloped nation without internal quarreling people. So, these corporations go into places where the people are poor and hungry, the government is squandering to support itself economically, the hope for economical expansion is high, and technology hasn‘t yet reached a level to parallel the “western“ world–even though a lot of theses places are in the “western“ world. Open promises of economic empowerment are presented to the people and governments of the regions. Being so entrenched in despair, these nations are welcoming to the entities that gives them the hope of exultation.

The company then sets up its operation–draining the land of its resources while demolishing others. Trees are chopped down, poisons contaminate water, and soil is deprived of its ability to produce feasible vegetation or its ability to produce fresh vegetation at all. The people indigenous to these areas are presented with working conditions that deteriorate their health, to the point of birth defects, cancer and other ailments, and even death, and are paid wages well below the level to be considered impoverished in the U.S. But, back in the U.S., the executives and some shareholders live in lavish homes, and they take vacations to exotic places made possible via minimal operating costs while leaving hundreds, even thousands, of Americans without a place in the workforce or even a chance at transforming the American Dream from an abstract thought to reality.

So, the American Dream, the way defined by me, is considerably humbled. A simple home, food, and clothing is considerably underestimated. The American Dream is to acquire more, and more; more, and more. And more… It doesn’t matter how many lives it costs, how many people are harmed, or how it sickens mother Earth. The American Dream is: I will kill you, because I am more deserving. Wake Up And Smell The B.S.