The American Dream
The American Dream
Prophets versus Profits
My Modest Dreams
I had other dreams for myself. My destination wasn’t in hell.
Yet in our culture, it seems as if each day is some kind of competition to get to hell first.
Hitting up the food banks
It wasn’t that long ago that I mapped out my local food bank. Early 2013. I needed help. I needed it because by nearly any measure, my life was a financial ruin.
Partly this happened because I’m casual with money, and too generous at times. Partly it happened because where I live has a very high cost of living. Partly it happened because of real income erosion.
And then there’s the greed and theft by the robber barons. The whole 1% thing. Citizen’s United and the absurd, unconscionable declaration that corporations are people.
Another reason it happened was because my focus has pretty much always been on values that the crowd does not follow.
And or course, there’s the part where I walked out on my job.
We tend to follow the money. I do too. And we tend to get sucked into someone else’s dreams. Like the American Dream. That was never my dream. I had other dreams.
Yet… I Agreed to It
While it’s true that most of my dreams were hijacked, the thing is… I agreed to it. I gotta be honest here.
American presidents told me to spend my way out of financial ruin by going into debt. And I agreed to it.
Bankers, politicians and the real estate industry told me to buy the most house I could possibly afford. And I agreed to it.
I was told to put my money into stocks and bonds. What money? Money that could be stolen?
I was told if I hung in there, I’d have a retirement. And I hung in there. And I have nothing.
I was told good companies treat their people right, and they provide pensions and healthcare. But it is clear that companies traded the ‘good’ in all of us for the good of their investors, for the large payouts to senior executives.
I was told that my house would appreciate in value and become my retirement nest egg. So even when my home continued to lose value…
I. Agreed. To. It.
The relentless, predatory rape of its own citizens has caused increasing numbers of Americans to think about stuff they’ve never thought about before, including questioning their own worth.
Dear World of Achievement:
I am failure by your standards, because:
I generally refuse to believe something simply because I’m told to believe it. Especially when it involves deeply meaningful values and principles. I’m not highly cynical, but life pulverized much of my naïveté. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it has a price. I became skeptical of things like ‘belief’. Because belief has a tendency to create distortion and bias.
I refuse to adopt a close-minded, my-way-is-the-right-way of living attitude. Among the most precious of all things are an open mind and an open heart. I hand cash to the homeless, even when I have little to spare. Because they have none. That’s not the sign of a foolish man. It’s the sign of a person who’s simply being considerate.
I’ve never traveled to Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, India, Australia or Hawaii. I don’t have a second or third home, or even own a first home. I’ve never owned a boat or an RV. I am incapable of showing my cute dog on Facebook or IG because I don’t have one. The only glamour-shot food pics I can share are when I order from Denny’s. When I travel, it’s for business, and I stay at places like Motel 6, Rodeway Inn and, if I’m lucky, a Comfort Inn.
Prophets and Profits
The thing is, I’m anonymous and unaccomplished by some standards, an everyday guy who rejects fame, power and praise. I’ve found that the pursuit of such things tends to dull our abilities to more deeply discern. It’s like dumping tons of toxic mining slag on our inner truth barometer.
In a very real sense, I acknowledge my lack of money is my fault. Guess the 1% are right, right? According to them, I haven’t worked my way out of my ‘situation’.
And the Prosperity Gospel crowd is right too. I’m not good enough. I don’t deserve it. God frowns when he glances over in my direction. Right? That’s the kind of God they worship. Right?
While I’m a Boomer, if you want an insight into Millennials, including a glimpse into their fundamental drivers, look at me. Because I have news to share: I’m kinda like a prophet, which is very different than a profiteer. I’m making that distinction. I’m predicting what we need. Because the alternative, as we are discovering, is utter ruin.
I believe in being more social, not less.
I believe in more kindness, not less.
I believe in more thoughtfulness, not less.
I believe in being more progressive, and tend to reject those who reject progress.
I believe selfishness is our greatest problem. And that most of the time, unfortunately, we really don’t think we’re at all selfish. We’re too focused on things like success and unachievable (for most) dreams.
I find that most people are considerate when you have them alone. It’s the wealthy and more fortunate — those who rule us with their money and power — who often seem to believe in their own entitled privileges. They dream far differently than the rest of us.
So, when we all take our turn to die, I’ll die and try not to panic. Even if I see their version of God strolling about, glaring at my failures and shortcomings. Sorry guys, that’s not my God. I’ve met mine and your’s ain’t it.