"My America dream"
Its kinda hard not to when you're the child of a settler who got away from an oppressive day to day life, came to America with nothing in his pocket, and now claims a successful independent company and a house on 25 sections of land.
It seems to me that people who believe the “American Dream” is dead are the people who don’t want to do what it takes to achieve it.
There is no end to the number of of people who have started with nothing and have built - by any objective estimation - very successful lives here the USA. I know and have seen many of these stories first hand. I, myself, am part of a generational story of the American Dream.
But people want up hate on the US, so undermining the idea of opportunity and the “American Dream” makes sense for those who want to throw shade.
I see a many individuals on the Internet who make statements like 'The American Dream is dead", or "Needy individuals can't prevail in this country, as a result of the rich."
My American Dream is to live in a society where we can discuss issues on their merits, disagree without being disagreeable and, as a society, encourage, teach, elevate and cheer on perfect strangers to achieve education, intellect, wealth, prosperity, friendship, community, good lives and reach their full potential.
It seems like that is rather distant, no matter how much money I make and what personal achievements I accomplish. Just like there’s no inherent American culture, there’s no set-in-stone American dream.
Perhaps a few group can't, and yet, I wouldn't be here if that were universally obvious.
Possibly I'm a naive optimist, yet I genuinely accept that with difficult work and assurance, even the most distraught American occupant can elevate themselves to a place of general flourishing. I've seen it too often to not trust it.
ou work hard, you can achieve success and prosperity for you and your family, this is the land of opportunity! That’s what America’s all about right?
That’s what we say, that’s what we want to believe, but things are a lot easier said then done. I’ve always compared myself to my father, he’s been the greatest influence in my life, and he has without a doubt achieved the American Dream. My father was born as poor as you could in Haiti, a third world country governed under what was for all intents and purposes at the time a dictatorship. He grew up on a farm and without any modern technology, he didn’t have electricity, running water, or a car. He grew up in a family with over two dozen siblings (yes really), my grandpa had 8 wives, apparently this was common where he lived. His upbringing in the 1950’s looked more akin to mideval Europe or the early American colonies. Families had children as a means of survival so they could work the land, if you didn’t work, you didn’t eat. There was no social safety net, no supermarkets, no fast food where he lived. My grandpa his family only had 1 bicycle between thirty people, and the nearest town was 20 miles away. If you couldn’t grow your own food you starved… to death, something he saw all too often back then.
Despite this my father was actually one of the more “privileged” ones because he got to go to school, and he was a perfect student. He even went on to go to medical school in his country and became a physician and graduated at the very top of his class. But he had dreams of leaving and coming to America, he thought as it was the “land of opportunity” he would have more success there, and he did. But it wasn’t without tremendous sacrifice and dedication. When he first came to America on a visa he didn’t speak a lick of English, and what’s more his medical license wasn’t valid in the U.S. so he had to go to medical school a second time in the U.S. while driving a taxi, working odd jobs and still trying to learn English. And would you believe it he succeeded, got his medical license, and completed his residency. He opened his own clinic, invested in rental properties, and bought a home in one of the most affluent suburbs in America. All of his children went on to college, graduated without debt and they also went on to graduate school. My father went from being at the bottom 1% in globally (poorer than the poorest Americans, to joining the top 1% in America. The odds were stacked against him, but he took advantage of every opportunity he could, he didn’t have the luxury not to. Personally, no matter how much I achieve today, I don’t feel as though I could ever be as successful as my dad, not because of money, but because of the struggle he went through.
Today however, while practically everyone lives better than how my dad grew up, what worked 20 years ago doesn’t necessarily work today. When my father went to medical school for the second time he took on about $20,000 in student loan debt, and that was considered a lot back in the late 70’s early 80’s. Today however, people are taking on hundreds of thousands if not over $1 million dollars (seriously) in loans just for an education. Mike Meru Has $1 Million in Student Loans. How Did That Happen? What worked 20–30 years ago won’t necessarily work today, people need to think 20 years ahead in regard to their future especially when taking on debt.
Because of my father’s sacrifices, I wanted for nothing and I recognize that I’m more privileged than most Americans, white or otherwise. And it’s because of his sacrifices that I can’t help but believe that your choices are going to be the biggest determination as to where you end up in life.
Whether you choose to have children at a young age. Whether you choose to get an education. Whether you choose to take out loans for an education or go too expensive of college. Whether you decide to commit crime. Whether you choose not to invest your money. Whether you decide to open a business or pursue a lucrative career.
If you’re able to read this message, you likely live in a Society that offers you the dignity and freedom to choose how you want to live your life. I know I didn’t have to grow up with the same struggles others did who grow up poor, but hardly anyone had to grow up in as tough of an environment as my father did. So I can’t help but think, if he can do it why can’t everyone else? I also can’t help but wonder, how much more someone with his drive could’ve accomplished had he been born to a typical American family. Maybe he’d achieve more with more advantages, or maybe not as much because he might have been less motivated.
My father’s lived under a dictatorship, lived through extreme poverty, fought starvation, lived in America’s ghettos, faced racism in the 60’s and 70’s all while overcoming language barriers. It’d be ignorant of me to say that people in this country don’t know how good they’ve got it. But my father’s someone who’s lived at bottom and knows what it takes to get the top. So he’s always said, “if only I had it this easy growing up.”
This doesn't have as a lot to do with my faith in America, as it does with my confidence in the ability of any individual so discover a way.
Without a doubt, it's troublesome, however what isn't?
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