The American Dream

I am part of the so-called Generation X. I have no idea what it means, and have doubts if anyone else does either. Luckily, it seems to be a label that has died out a bit. Unfortunately, some of the ideas which were typical of the Generation X are taking a bit longer to die off.

One of the worse things our generation does is how some of us seem to twist the concept of "The American Dream." For some damn reason we have turned it to mean a sense of entitlement. A guarantee of end result. Maybe it was because the Babyboomers where too busy "keeping up with the Jones'" and deciding which car was to be the new yuppy icon rather than teaching us what the American Dream was really all about.

It was never about the result, it is about the pursuit. Rather than have a rigidly stratified society, our is more fluid. You can be born with nothing, and achieve greatness. You can go the other way, too. But the end result isn't guaranteed. It is the right of pursuing your interest, of determining your own destiny within the culture, that is the foundation of the American Dream.

The American Dream has never been about entitlements, or handouts. The American Dream simply means you have the right to work your ass off, achieve anything you are capable of, and NO ONE has the right to say you don't deserve the rewards because of where you came from and which family you were born to.

So, dream your dreams, as big as you wish, and know that the American Dream is still there alive and well to make sure you can still pursue them.