Dream on

Once upon a time there was the belief in the American Dream. The land of opportunity. Hope. Can do. If you build it, they will come. The shining city on the hill. Freedom. Blind justice. Land of the free, home of the brave. There was the belief that anyone could succeed. All you needed were the 3 R's; a good, hard work ethic; honesty (the best policy); a little pluck to take opportunity as it arises in your life; keeping your nose clean (ie, staying out of trouble); and family and friends to help you along the way. Perhaps, a little luck along the way, but always remembering that luck favors the prepared. When things didn't go just as you planned, you looked at yourself in the mirror, made new resolutions to be better the next time, picked yourself back up and got back in the race. There may be slings and arrows along the way. Injury, disease, death, and the disappointment when other people that you count let you down. But, you carry on, running, walking or crawling towards the dream. You do what you can to prevent bad from happening to yourself, your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your country.

The American Dream has never been disproven, and in fact there are numerous examples of its success. It is the main reason why people come to America. It is the main source of success, at least to the level of the upper middle class and I believe even beyond. And, it seems to DocBrain that most people who follow the American Dream are happy. By happy, I mean pleased with themselves; content in the belief that they have given life their best shot.


And then, there is the belief in the Gold Rule. No, the other one. He who has gold, rules. This is the belief that if you are not born with a golden spoon in your mouth, if you are not of proper birth, nothing much can be made of your life, so why even try? Just try to enjoy each day. Do whatever it takes to survive and succeed, as the American Dream is not for you. Cheat, steal, lie, skirt laws and ethics. Do whatever makes you happy. Drugs, alcohol, sex, music, driving fast and living hard. That is life. Walk away from challenges. Life sucks and then you die. Life gave you nothing so you owe no one anything in return. If you are to get anywhere in life, it will only be if others do the heavy lifting. Family running cover for you when you foul up. Entitlements from the government. Justice looking at you and cutting you a break because you didn't have that golden spoon.

Life under this Gold Rule is not a happy one. It may be filled with short term pleasures, perhaps even a feeling of pride at having survived, but no happiness. No feeling of having made it. A full life but an empty victory. In the end as in the beginning, you know that you were not one of the annointed ones. Life dealt you from the bottom of the deck.

DocBrain believe that the difference between the American Dream and the Gold Rule is in what you believe. Whatever one you believe is real to you. Simple as that. As politics begins to cater more to the believers in the Gold Rule, as the believers in the Gold Rule attempt to enslave the believers in the American Dream, what will the final outcome be? DocBrain believes that if the believers in the Gold Rule get the upper hand, America will become more a land of unhappiness and disillusionment. With no one to care, no one to turn to, the people will only be able to turn to the government. The government, with ultimate control over people, will truly become God, and its leaders will be the prophets and high priests.