This is a question Hunter Thompson was obsessed with. And thinking about it, what did happen to the American Dream? It clearly isn't dead, as to me that would mean America herself is dead.
But these days, what is it? How do you find it? Is it in making money? Doing drugs? Doing nothing at all?
Or is it an individual goal you set for yourself? My goal for now is to at least participate in the next big Atlanta BJJ competition. Is the American Dream the mere fact that I can pursue this goal?
What did the American Dream used to be? Was it living comfortably? I have no idea. And this, to me, causes difficulty in knowing where, or what, it is today. Perhaps the American Dream is nothing more than a feel good phrase. Who knows? But I certainly want to find out.
"You Need Not Worry" (To Monica)
7 months ago
Posts
4 comments:
I like it.
The American Dream is a live and well, I know, I'm living it.
I'm not good at time management lately. Sorry. This is also why I seem to spend so much time on Algo HW.
Anyway, I have my doubts about the American Dream. Specifically, that there ever was one. I mean, we all talk about the American Dream...but it's the most underspecified thing I can imagine.
The whole point of communicating is to use words with agreed upon meanings to dump your thoughts into the recipient's brain. I don't think "the American Dream" has any accepted interpretation. The closest I can think of is some combination of freedom (an odd blend of liberty and equality) and the possibility of social mobility. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Mobility)
Anyway, I would agree that it's mostly a feel-good phrase. But that feel-good phrase stemmed from a lot of smart dudes arguing about how to found a country and the ideas that led to America today are both real and interesting.
Some books I've enjoyed that are related are: Democracy in America (Tocqueville) and The Radicalism of the American Revolution (Wood). I also enjoyed Locke's Second Political Treatise (especially his theory of Land Tenure, google that shit!) but it doesn't seem to be on my shelf now. I enjoyed Rousseau's Basic Political Writings but they're not quite as related. I'd lend you these but I don't lend books. :)
Anyway, there's some meat on them bones. Even if I hate politics (read: political science, how to organize people and make governments) because I don't think we can be scientific enough about it. :)
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu! Go for it!
Reading this post prompted me to read this entry in Wikipedia. Thanks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream
Don
Post a Comment