We are all living the American dream, but haven't figured out that there is not vacancy. Ferenc Mate published A Reasonable Life in 1997 on his emphasis on the people of our society and the way we live our lives. Initially it seemed like his perspective was too critical. For example, Ferenc makes a comparison of laundry rooms to a pet using the bathroom outside of the house. He reminds us how we use a separate room just for keeping our clothing away. Personally, the statement sounded too harsh. However, after taking into consideration the world that we have built for ourselves, his analogies began to make sense.
During the emergence of suburbia after the world war, we began to see Levittown’s appeared in many suburbs in New York State and several outside of the state. In the 1950’s the Levitt brothers were building these homes in a matter of weeks and selling at low subsidized rates. But, they were not just selling homes; instead they were selling a lifestyle. A lifestyle, which was full of youth, leisure and routine. The homes were all built the same and had to be maintained the same way. It is possible that the beginning of major suburban living transformed our nation into pressure and a lack of decision-making. And yet, we have been struggling to fight for freedom of choice for decades and still we choose to fall into the cracks of society. Perhaps we didn’t have a choice because the jobs moved from the inner cities to the suburbs and the people who were less wealthy were in capable of moving with the jobs. The point is that we have developed lifestyles that are not modified or altered. We have grown a mindset which forces us to believe that we need the biggest house on the block, a separate living room, family room and dining room- but since when did we become people that needed so much space. Women have developed the ability to maintain their birth control habits, leading to less child bearing and yet we are buying larger homes. It seems as if were contradicting ourselves with our own actions.
But what if Mate is right? What if were wrong? It is understandable that many of us were not raised on farms and are unable to change the location we were raised in and the habits that surrounded us, but we must recognize that we are beginning to use excuses in order to avoid alternatives. Perhaps the perfect “American dream” is so perfect after all. "Such is the way of civilized man; we no longer kill in a bloody hunt for food. We're refined. We work in clean well-lighted places making civilized movements, and kill instead from a great distance.” We have put a stop to personal involvement in farming and even if it is just for the benefit of family bonding, we have lost that too. The expansion of our homes has distanced our families physically and emotionally. The mindset of “bigger is better” has influenced us to seek for change, but change is not always for the better. Perhaps if change was for the better, we wouldn’t have been in the environmental crisis that we live in today- but will we do anything to change or accept it? But change is not the only thing we are looking at because we need to consider whether we even have another choice or whether it is even too late to undo what has been done.
The issue of recycling is being promoted more and more each day. Companies such as Poland Spring have decreased their cap shape in order to decrease plastic usage, but the question is- is this even going to help us change anything anymore? Most of us don’t even considering recycling at all. After noticing the same homeless man searching for plastic in the dumpster everyday, I noticed the immense amount he found and realized how much we are not trying to help. Yet, we have people spending millions of dollars to advertise a change but we still fail to defeat it. Instead, we need a fundamental change and a steady plan instead of small green steps. Even if our generation today is depending on incoming children to learn more and change more- this is a selfish motive to have. We should regain our dignity as Americans and get over the idea of our new western lifestyle. We are trying to achieve this all American dream and instead we are single handedly bringing all living things down with us.
We have grown to want everything on demand in thirty different colors, which brings many of us to seek for jobs that pay well. The most depressing aspect of this is that we have lost ourselves to money and have forgotten what we really care about. Granted money can buy you items but in the long run it is not better to be miserable form 9-5 and feel “happy” when you come home to a large home, perfect lawn and a house full of “goodies”. Perhaps it is not our fault that we have lost a desire to seek for a career based on our self-interest because our education forces us to follow a specific pathway. From the age of 5, we are taught based of a specific curriculum, with standardized tests and must pass in order to get to the next level in life. We begin to find ourselves in a routine with no end. But, how could we expect people to fall out of this lifestyle if it is what is forced by our society. And yet, if people fall out of this lifestyle you seem immoral as if you have committed. I believe that it is wrong before us to be judged based off a number on a piece of paper. We need to consider that people are based of off different talents and they need to be recognized. We have many professions and fields that allow us to excel our strengths rather than working in a job where our weaknesses will show. We all want to do better and we would all do better if we cared and loved what we do everyday. However, most of us are not given a change. Anyone that wants a specific job, but in order to get this job you must go through bachelors, masters, PhD, internships and more. However, there is nothing wrong with gaining credentials but we are forced to take a specific set pattern of courses with no flexibility. And within time we begin to learn that it is sometimes about whom you know. It is sad to know that people may be able to exhibit extraordinary talent but are unable to seek a job because they did not hold a 4.0 in their general education requirements.
Take for example my story- I was born outside of the United States and have been raised to believe that the career I seek for must pay well. There was never discussion about whether the job will make you happy or whether the education is what you prefer. The only thing taken into consideration is the paycheck and status you will hold. With this, the belief that was always pressed upon me was the Medical Field. Having both parents graduate from medical schools in another country that were unable to continue to career in the united states, it pressured them into believing that I can have ‘the American dream” and live the life they could not. We need to recognize that we all hold different passions and we should all seek for them. We have options here and we have the opportunity to seek for our own goals, rather than what is more socially acceptable. Granted people are going to quickly say that money is an issue. Of course it is an issue but we need to have a reasonable life. We have become so adapted to cheaper processed food and an easier way out that many of us have forgotten the effort it make take to seek for bliss. We have become refining and fail to recognize what we are in store for. Maybe it is because we have not been prepared for it. Perhaps we have emphasized on just the moment we are living in and forget about the outcome of the future.
We need to stop teaching our children our how to live in old ways and how to live in today’s world. Times have changed whether we like it or not and our parents and educational systems must place greater emphasis on their children and homes.
The United States holds one of the lowest ranks in schools and I do not believe it is because we have bad teachers or that our children are not smart. I believe it is because our children are misled. Perhaps this is why our college entrance levels are decreasing. It is believed that our nation will become a third world labor market by 2030. But this is not just because of our education system but it is because of our competitive country. Mate depends us that things were constant until we hit the industrial revolution. But after changed began, we experience a separation and the change of a free man. The industrial revolution has built factories in distant cities, overcrowded cities, increased unemployment and increased poverty rates. And yet, we are still experiencing globalization and still are obsessed on purchasing goods from distant countries. Five decades ago we have a grate trade system and by 1970, we had experienced a trade deficit like never seen before.
How can we use education as competition? Our education is not allowing us to excel how we plan because of our nation in crisis. Especially today we are experiencing an economic downfall.
Through a graduate’s lifetime, we are forced to learn how to learn in order to keep up with competition because of all the changes. But we cannot force our children to reach potentials they do not desire. We need to allow children to be creative with their thoughts and ideas in order to drive our ideas to a conclusion. One idea that will allow us succeed is to strategize and learn to think independently.
An Episode of 20/20 tells us “American just doesn’t know how the school systems are”. “The kids are not stupid, the school system is stupid.” Were ultimately cheating our children just like we are cheating our environment. Many believe that more money will allow our school systems be enhance. One superintendent in South Carolina were given two billion dollars and yet the children still failed. Jay Green tells us that we spend $10,000 per student and the student graduation rate is staying the same.
We cannot look at schools. We cannot look at the government. Consider our take on the environment where we are choking ourselves in our own garbage. We continue to blame the government and business owners for our depletion but we fail to recognize that they have provided us with what we asked for.
Overall, we depend on our children for the future and need to provide them with the right knowledge for survival.
A Reasonable Life- Ferenc Mate
Cartoon Guide to Environment
20/20- Stupid in America
Invisible Heart- Nancy Folbre
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