I have to admit, with great humility and appreciation of lots of support, good luck, good health, hard work and long term vision, planning and a few smart moves, I'm doing ok. I retired after 40 years in the salt mines. I achieved emancipated wage-slave status 5 years ago. I have a pension, savings, house, cars, kids and health care and no debt. .. And I get lots of vacations...
They are all components of my American dream that has become my everyday reality. And for that...I am happy.. And thankful..
I cringe to think that I am becoming an endangered species as dream-livers in this country are on the path to extinction.
Our American social and economic dreams for far too many are becoming nightmares. People work their whole lives, struggle to save and get dashed by misfortunes... The greedy boss steals the pension.. Your job is consumed by a robot..or is off-shored to foreign robots... An unexpected illness wipes out the assets... a family tragedy creates a need to rear a new family. And when bad stuff happens - our safety net options are getting more challenging with bigger holes to fall through.
That's a sad statement about what I see trending in America. The closer to home these stories get the more one gets scared that they might be next. We have a vulnerable and fragile economy and nation.
How can that be? We are the richest nation...with more for the rich than most others.. We have the best health care...accessible more for those with the money to buy it. We have the smarts and brains to do great things...and only a lucky few reap the rewards of that greatness.
Don't want to be a downer...but.. we as a nation are trending wrong....I'm not happy about that..no one should be.
Of course it's not just USA that is tilting out of kilter - but it's not everyone. Many countries have mitigated a lot of the bad stuff by investing more in its people than hedge fund tax breaks. Many countries invest in health care, social pension plans, raising wages, creating good jobs and helping workers through transitions and they actively help support families. Those countries that want everyone to grow and prosper, feel secure and enhance human well being make it to the top tier of the happiest countries list....How come we don't do that?
They know what it takes to diminish the struggle to survive a long life on earth...and they do it. That's a good thing...we should try it..
Some of them make it a goal to do more for the benefit of the people rather than for the benefit of the uber-enriched few....that too.
We can do that. We can change our misdirection on the social and economic front. There's plenty of evidence and ideas and successes and best practices and support...if we want to do it.
My pursuit of happiness World Tour is taking notes..with instructions... More to come..seriously..
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