For the last 50 years we woke up, flipped on the TV, and saw what they wanted us to believe.
The American Dream was always a lie, it just took us awhile to figure that out.
If we’d just buy one more car, got a bigger house, or upgraded our surround sound system, we’d finally be happy. We watched hundreds of sitcom families shopping for new designer digs and we thought to ourselves ‘I deserve that too.’
Then we went out and bought so much more than we could ever afford. And you know what? That was just fine for the corporations, because they made money. And the banks, because they made money. So they loaned you all of the money you ever wanted to buy whatever it was you saw on TV.
Was it fine for you? No, because now you’re stuck in debt and living the sedentary lifestyle.
When you have it all, you can’t be free too.
Every item that you add to your inventory of useless junk in your closet or the 2nd half of your two-car garage actually contradicts your ability to achieve the true American Dream.
The American Dream changed, the new definition is freedom.
How do you achieve the new American Dream? Realize that buying more isn’t the answer. Burn your TV (or throw it out the window.)
Stand up from your couch and never sit down again, because this freedom is real, and you can’t buy it at Walmart.
Declare independence and start to realize that how you experience the world is the real dream.
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This was my contribution to Karol Gajda’s newly released right-on manifesto titled The American Dream is Dead (Long Live the American Dream!)
Karol asked 25 incredible people, including heroes of mine such as Derek Sivers, Chris Brogan, Leo Babauta and a whole bunch of others. Check it out.
