Sandra The Terrorist wrote:
Whilst we're on with the wonderful George Carlin on't tube and particularly relevant today, we seem to be being sold "The American Dream".
I would go a step further and say that what we've been sold is the dream of western liberal democracy which includes "capitalism is the only way". How is "The American Dream" different from what the UK has morphed into? What is the "UK Dream"? Is there a "UK Dream"? Is the crisis of "The American Dream" anything more than people realising they don't want "The American Dream"?
Underpinning "The American Dream" is a belief that this way is
the way when really there are so many other dreams that may fit better for individual e.g. I want to be happy and having 2.4 children in the suburbs, driving a Nazi sled might not deliver happiness to me (it could though lead to happiness in others). We all our have own dreams and the rail against "The American Dream" comes from that and it's something embedded into western liberal democracy's counter-culture. Where does that come from? I'd suggest it's a connection to philosophy more than it is politics, trade and capitalism. Running a business isn't just about maximising profits, it can be about many other things as well and there are other business models which reflect that e.g. co-ops, social enterprise, non-profit, charity etc. Living a life is more than just making money but the latter is embedded in the western consciousness thanks to its imperial history which stretches all the way back to the great civilisations, especially Rome.
