A few days ago on Morning Joe, the CEO of Gallup (the polling company) expressed surprise, if not dismay, that the American Dream has changed. According to polls, Americans no longer define the Dream as “peace, a home and family, religious freedom…” Now, they long for “a good job.” I am not kidding. That is the new American Dream, according to Jim Clifton, who wrote The Coming Jobs War. You can watch him talk about it in this video.
I think we dream of a good job because it represents a means to attract a mate, pay for food/shelter/health care (well, maybe not health care), and afford to have children.
And if that’s true, I think we Americans are in deep trouble.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Consider Maslow’s Hierarchy. No longer are we concerned with such lofty (self-actualization) goals as world peace and religious freedom. Now it appears we’ve dropped down the pyramid to survival goals: food, shelter and family.
If you’re over forty, you’ve seen the change during your own lifetime.
When I was in high school, I was capable of getting straight A’s but I was immature. Most of the time I cut classes, smoked pot and turned in my work at the last minute. After graduation, I enrolled in community college, but dropped out after one semester, at age nineteen, to get married. I found a full-time job as a low-level filing clerk, with the best pay I’d ever earned. Little by little, I worked my way up. It took me eighteen years to get my bachelor’s degree, attending school at night while building my career. I became a Human Resources executive, a fulfilling career where I earned great pay and benefits, and a nice retirement.
In my family, going to college wasn’t critical. It was desirable, seeming to offer a vaguely “better” future, but my three siblings found well-paying professional careers without a bachelor’s degree.
Those days are gone forever. Now, the younger generations must focus like lasers from preschool on up to land that “good job,” which only lasts until the next merger.
My Dad
My dad, born in 1924, was virtually an orphan. He attended thirteen schools before dropping out of high school to be a welder in a ship yard. When he met the classy dame who would become his wife, she encouraged him to apply for a job at Bank of America, where she worked as a teller. He did, and over the next several decades worked his way up to management, thanks to a good work ethic and the training provided by his employer.
My father, Edward Kuswa, managed banks! Back then, it was a respected profession, a notch below doctor. At one time Dad was single-handedly bringing in 60% of the loan business at the Chino, California branch. He put us four kids through Catholic school on his salary while Mom, now a full-time homemaker, sewed all our clothes and made a home for us. In 1949 they bought a brand new house in Whittier, California. It consisted of two bedrooms, a den, and one bathroom. We had a detached two-car garage and a big back yard, where us four kids played (swing set and sand box; remember, Boomers?)
In 1982, Dad retired as a bank executive. He was able to fund a decent if frugal retirement for Mom and himself, and when he passed away three years ago, he left her in good shape financially. Not rich. Minds her pennies. But good.
The highest degree Dad ever earned was a GED.
I don’t object to competition or capitalism, but I do fear for my kids’ and grandkids’ futures. I worry that the experience of Boomers and our parents will be viewed as an aberration on the American Timeline, unrelated to their own reality. The American Dream will be seen as a charming fiction, just something the old folks reminisce about, like five-cent ice cream cones and affordable medical care.
- Karen, Lynne, Verne and Cynthy
Kindle readers can contact me at Lmspreen@gmail.com.
As I read this blog it gave me chills. It was as though you knew my thought and had lived my earlier life. How times have changed! At times I wish we could turn back the times to our childhood. I wonder just how it will be for those that follow us. Thank you for writing.
Humans adapt. We always have and will continue to do so. Socrates despaired for the next generation’s future and we’re dazzled by what those generations undertook and accomplished. The 20-somethings will raise their children to adjust to the times in which they live. The luxury of enough may be redefined and I believe, and have faith, that the young people will find a better way to live in community and peace.
LOVED this poignant, thought-provoking post, Lynn. The black & white photo of the 4 kids could have been me and my 2 sisters and brother. Yes, what happened to the good ol’ fashioned American Dream? And what are our children losing in terms of well-being in pursuit of the all mighty dollar (which is not so mighty these days.) What an admirable story about your father. We are lucky to have inherited that work ethic. Hopefully enough of our old fashioned human values will be instilled in the new generation.
Hi Lynne. Great post. I grew up in that world and agree it WAS a hopeful time. Generations that followed had more in some ways, and less in others. What I see in my work with new independent author/publishers is that they expect their first book to become an instant best seller, and even attaining that shouldn’t require too much effort. It doesn’t happen that way. Life doesn’t happen that way, nor do years spent in school equal ‘time served’. The American dream has always involved hard work. Your parents, my parents worked hard to achieve their dreams. I’m not saying it isn’t a scary or sad time, but it isn’t a hopeless time. It may just be time for us to get up off our butt and save this country. Obviously it is not a good idea to trust the politicians and corporations, and for myself, I don’t see walking away as the solution. The most energetic and enthusiastic group right now is one you and I are part of—women over 50—empowered, interested, and tired of the bunk coming from major media. We are making changes.
Thanks for the kick in the butt, Jean. I feel better already.
Lynne, I can always count on you to have a finger on the pulse of key issues of our time. You really bring this issue to light through your own storytelling. And of course,being of “that certain age”, I can relate to it all. And Maslow’s Hierarchy hit the me between the eyes. It saddens me to think our priorities for self-actualization are being trumped by basic survival needs. It makes me glad that I lived in a time when family, integrity,work ethics,etc were valued and practiced.My Dad’s motto was God,family country. At least I can hang onto that thread and do my best to influence my children and grandchildren as they navigate through these stressful times. You always get me going,Lynne. Thanks for the prompt 🙂
Kathy
Kathy and Debbie, thanks for your kind thoughts. I wonder, Debbie, if the answer in some way for your son and his friends is to take a page from Atlas Shrugged (that bible of the extreme right, I’m sorry to say) and walk away from all of it. Make simple lives for themselves, earning enough to feed and clothe their families but not worrying about the latest cars, gadgets, and vacations. Find a solution to the “our children are too distracted!” conundrum by moving away from the city and having them help after school with the family garden. Ride their bikes to school. Maybe small-town life is the answer. Let the fat cats have Wall Street. Let’s shrug and walk away; make a life for ourselves somewhere where barter and labor are valued. Eventually they’ll either need us back, or we’ll be so self-sufficient we won’t care. It’s my little Utopian dream.
I’m seeing a lot of that worry even from my son, who’s still in college, Lynne. He tells me ALL the kids (except those who don’t know what they want to do and are going for more education, read: graduate school) are focused on getting the “right” internships and the “right” jobs upon graduation. I have a hard time believing that a JOB is the most important achievement in life, particularly when jobs are such fickle things! You’re right — those days are gone forever, and we lived in the best of times. Sad for generations to come, though.