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Old 07-31-2022, 05:56 PM
HARDCORE HARDCORE is offline
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Question Just Dump It

7-31-2022

(MORE PERSONAL OPINIONS)


Maybe this trend toward a brand new political party will quickly catch on among those who have finally tired of the obvious actions of the two major political factions, here in “The Good Old U.S. of A.?” Who Knows

And what happens then – or will we just drag our feet again, until this new political faction as well, finally wears thin, erodes away, and is itself allocated just another corner in the dumping grounds along life’s long road to - “Who In The Hell Knows Where?”

Did you ever stop for a moment to consider that maybe it is not the name alone that makes (or breaks) any one political party? Nor is it the baseless sectioning-off of a population into political factions that decides whether we will survive and thrive! But rather, maybe it is unity of cause, love of a nation and its ideals, patriotism toward a common goal, and just plain stubborn pride in our democracy, that will eventually tell the final tale of the tape!

And let’s get one thing straight right now: “We Are All Americans First”, and We Must Continue To Pay Our Membership Dues Infinitum, if that is, we are to continue to survive!

And if “Our Little Experiment In Democracy” is to prove to be a viable and eternal commodity, then force of arms alone, and even industrial might, can not (and will not) forever prevail! For it takes something that is much deeper, and far more meaningful, than just these transient things alone to become immortal! It takes truth, comradery, and the human spirit itself, to break the curse of eventual oblivion! That, and an inalienable desire to improve our lot daily, and ‘not’ just to be blindly led around by the nose by any vested commercial or political faction, especially when one’s own conscience dictates that you stand fast on your own beliefs – and so it is, at least in my own humble opinion!!

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Old 08-01-2022, 03:45 AM
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Boats Boats is offline
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The Psychology of the American Dream
By: Ekua Hagan - Psychology Today - 10-07-16
Re: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...american-dream

Question: Why do we believe so fervently in the American Dream?

[This was written by the writer six years ago alot has changed since then.] His view was six years ago - since then much has happened.

What does it mean to you? Having written a book on the topic, I have a habit of asking anyone and everyone, joining a long line of others who have tried to get a better understanding of the American Dream.

The usual answers—financial stability or, more specifically, making enough money to be able to retire (still often $1 million, despite inflation), “the good life” (usually a nice house in the suburbs with all the consumer trappings), to work for oneself, to have (at least) 15 minutes of fame, the “pursuit of happiness” or, once in a while, the Statue of Liberty—come back, an interesting but somewhat frustrating exercise, as all the others found in their own formal or informal surveys. Besides reaching no real consensus, the responses do not come close to capturing the undeniable power of the American Dream, making it seem more like a wish list than what I believe to be is the guiding mythology of the most powerful civilization in history.

The problem, of course, is that it does not exist. The Dream is just that, a product of our imagination, and a complex one at that. That it is not real, however, ultimately turns out to be the most significant finding about the American Dream. The fact that many of us have assumed the Dream to be real makes it even more compelling.

Much of this naturally has to do with how central the Dream has been and continues to be to the American idea and experience. Rather than just a powerful philosophy or ideology, the American Dream (the D is sometimes capitalized, sometimes not, but my preference is the former) is thoroughly woven into the fabric of everyday life. It plays a vital, active role in who we are, what we do, and why we do it. No other idea or mythology—even religion, I believe—has as much influence on our individual and collective lives, with the Dream one of the precious few things in this country that we all share. You name it—economics, politics, law, work, business, education—and the American Dream is there, the nation at some level a marketplace of competing interpretations and visions of what it means and should mean. A search of “American Dream” on Google in October 2016 turned up over 36 million hits, a crude but still impressive measure of its ubiquity.

Part and parcel of the American Dream is the notion of upward mobility, the idea that one can, through dedication and with a can-do spirit, climb the ladder of success and reach a higher social and economic position. For many in both the working class and the middle class, upward mobility has served as the heart and soul of the American Dream, the prospect of “betterment” and to “improve one’s lot” for oneself and/or one’s children much of what this country is all about. Work hard, save a little, send the kids to college so they can do better than you did, and retire happily to a warmer climate has been the script we have all been handed, with any major deviation from that a cause for concern if not an outright assault to our national creed.

While in recent years, study after study has shown upward mobility to be even a greater myth than the Dream itself, most Americans refuse to believe such a thing, as the concept of class fluidity is so engrained in our national ethos. This feeling of entitlement, that if one plays by the rules one will in time reap his or her just rewards, had led many an American astray, our mythology mistaken for a promise.

The loss of faith in both their country and themselves that millions have no doubt experienced is the saddest part of the American Dream; every bit as tragic as the heroic stories of success that we love to celebrate. Besides having a happy ending, the latter reminds us that we are a land of opportunity offering all citizens an even playing field and, on a grander level, that we are a chosen people assigned a unique and special purpose.

Regardless of the reality, the American Dream plays an important role in our psychic well-being on both a collective and individual level. Anything is possible, the Dream tells us, a comforting belief that counters the many obstacles and limitations we all face on a daily basis. The idea that each of us can realize whatever it is we hope to in our lives is reason enough to get up in the morning and do whatever we have to in order to try to make that happen. The American Dream is an optimistic, motivating force that propels people to achieve and accomplish things that we might otherwise not strive for. Its elusiveness makes it that much more compelling as, for many, one’s dream always seems to be out of reach, but still very much worth pursuing.

About this writer: Lawrence R. Samuel, Ph.D., is an American cultural historian who holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and was a Smithsonian Institution Fellow.
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Personal note: We've seen many changes moreso about our ideology -
since then - which has added a new chapter to the forces of change
today.
-
In School we were taught: Religion - Math - English - and what our
History was then and now. But more than that was the Social Studies
that we often discussed.
-
These included: various aspects or branches of the study of human
society, considered as an educational discipline. Including "arts and
social studies"
-
While the seven social sciences (anthropology, economics, geography,
history, political science, psychology, and sociology) ach possess their
own importance and influence, in studying the contributions each area
makes; to the over-branching discipline of anthropology, a certain
ranking of these sciences provides an ... guideline of how we
advanced in the world today.

Social Studies have seven footprints for today and our yesterdays.
They included the following: Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology,
Geography, History, Political Science, Economics.

That was the outline in school of which covered the understanding
of up to that day of our learning. Of course the next step was
taking those learning curves and relating them to our world as
it was back then.

As we moved on into our future - it seems that the ideals and
methods that we used to understand in world order have changed
alot - (or lets say have morphed into some other than what we
were our earlier thoughts.
-
We had just finished WWII and Korean wars - we were the
offspring of our Mother & Father. History back then still applies
in our teachings today - but - as adults - in a whole new generation
of experiences - it seems we've learned little - about what could
be - and that of the reality it has become.
-
There is old school and new school teachings which vary mainly
on the subject matter used today. We've reached a point where
our old school habits; we learned are far different then the
recent ones of today. We have new school teaching's now
including & updated teachings - such as Duck & Cover & Life
Ending - along with Weapons of mass destruction & social
insurection's - that are more prevalent with us today.
-
The harmony music of the world order - is colliding - with the
dreamer's; whereas there has to be a better way of life & liberty
for all mankind. (But is there? hmm - it doesn't fit todays agenda).
-
We've learned nothing from our past it seems; and with our
transition from one war to another - we have yet another on
the near horizon - that could eliminate & contaminate our entire
world today.
-
Did we foresee this coming - sure we did - but did little of
anything prevented these issues - that we have today.
-
So it is - and so will it shall be written - that all mankind will
soon be a "past-tence" of our yesterdays. The Nation's of the
world will soon be nothing. The planet will suffer decades of
nuclear radiation and contamination - of both the seas &
the lands all across the globe.
-
It's inevitable - the path we are on - can only end one way
- and that is with the total elemenation of all mankind.
-
I'd like to be a dreamer - and say all will be well - but in my
heart - and what I see today - tells & shows me no other
recourse - or options; with today's world leaders. Even if they
all die - a few will may survive to rule again with malice towards
the remaining - or someone else will jump-in - and want to be
supreme leader. And so it goes - over and over.
-
As a skeptic I foresee a lousy outlook for the world - and
though I'm soon ending my day's on this earth - my kids &
grandkid's may suffer these upheavel's - which is on the
near horizon - and that bother's the hell out me!
-
There's nothing more disgusting then surmising the end
of our world - but the course were on is real and only
getting worse year after year. It's inevitable. Man
is his own worst enemy and has been since day one!
-
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
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