[‘Merica] The Passive American Dream

“Welcome to ‘Merica, a mythical place where pizza is a vegetable and the president is a terrorist. It’s the land of the free and the home of the incarcerated. A country comprised of immigrants who are against immigration. This is ‘Merica.”

Last week Americans spent $1.5 billion on the Mega Millions Lottery. Collectively, the nation envisioned what it would be like to win, what it would be like to be a multi-millionaire. Collectively, we shared the American Dream.

But this wasn’t your grandpa’s dream. It didn’t consist of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. It didn’t consist of working your way up the corporate ladder. The new American Dream isn’t an inspirational message about how hard work can pay off. No, the new American Dream is much more dream like, much more passive: “Maybe it can happen to me!”

This country has long stood on the shoulders of the creed that if you work hard you can be anything you want. And while this motto still rings true, the mode of achieving our goals is changing After all, who wants to put in any effort when a viral video can change your life forever?

The world is full of people who are famous, popular, and unreasonably rich for no reason. Kate Upton became one of the world’s most sought after models after the she was spotted dancing at a Clippers game on Youtube. Kim Kardashian has turned a sex tape into a media empire. A handful of Jersey Americans made millions by getting drunk, loud, and obnoxious. And most recently, three random people have been given more than $100 million because they bought a ticket at a gas station.

Karen Sternheimer at the Los Angeles Times writes:

“The rise of the Internet and reality TV, which has made fame and fortune seem ever more accessible, has further strengthened the illusion that our class system is wide open. That Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of “Jersey Shore” fame can command $32,000 for a Rutgers University appearance — $2,000 more than Nobel- and Pulitzer Prize-winning Toni Morrison received to deliver the university’s commencement speech — is not just a commentary on the value we place on celebrity.”

So why try? Why strive? The American Dream is now attainable from your living room couch.

This is, by the way, not to call the average American lazy. In fact, the average citizen is working harder than ever (if they’re lucky enough to have a job) just to maintain a respectable lifestyle. But the ladder to the top has been cut in the middle. Debt is piling up, unemployment is rising, and for many people, the only foreseeable road to wealth comes in the form of a lottery ticket.

Achieving a better standard of living than your parents used to be the fulfillment of the American Dream. But for many, that may no longer be an option.

A survey of in 2011 by IPSOS showed that the majority of parents didn’t believe that it was possible for their children to have a better standard of living.

Anya Kamenetz, author of the books Generation Debt and DIY U, said:

“It’s part of a larger phenomenon, of a decline of faith in the American Dream. Homeownership has taken a huge blow, people are questioning the value of a college education, and the idea that America will always be economically dominant is fading away. The assumption of an ever-increasing standard of living is no longer taken for granted. There’s little doubt this is going to be the first generation to not do as well materially as their parents.”

This generation’s view of the American Dream has been obscured by obstacles like student debt. It has been clouded by policies that favor the rich. But it still exists. The American Dream is not dead, it’s just sick.

It is still possible for a person who came from nothing to make something of themselves. It is still possible to better your place in society. It is still possible to put your nose to the grindstone and create something more beautiful than you could ever imagine. But wouldn’t you rather just buy a lottery ticket?

I mean, it could happen to you.