The Great I-Show: Why We’re All About Me in the Land of the Free (But Mostly Me)

Baybay City, Philippines – November 28, 2024 – Jeraco Jake Slade, WPS.News

Let me tell you something, folks. This whole “American Dream” thing? It’s starting to look a lot less like a dream and a whole lot more like a narcissistic fantasy. We’re so busy chasing our own tails, patting ourselves on the back for “pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps” (which, by the way, is a lot easier to do when you weren’t born wearing lead boots) that we’ve forgotten how to build something together.

This ain’t your grandpappy’s America anymore. Back then, sure, there was a rugged individualism, a pioneer spirit. But there was also a sense of community, of pitching in for the greater good. Now? It’s all about “me, myself, and I.”

You got your “career ladders” you’re climbing over each other on, your “personal brands” you’re hawking like snake oil salesmen, and your “unpopular opinions” you’re shouting from the rooftops like a bunch of lunatics. Newsflash, bub: nobody cares about your “unpopular opinion” unless it actually contributes something to the conversation, which, let’s be honest, it probably doesn’t.

We’ve become a nation of navel-gazers, so obsessed with our own reflections that we can’t see the cracks spreading in the foundation of our society. Bridges are crumbling, schools are falling apart, the safety net’s got more holes than a moth-eaten sweater, but hey, at least you got that corner office, right?

Look, I ain’t saying there’s no place for ambition. It’s what keeps the world turning, for better or worse. But ambition without compassion, without a sense of shared purpose, is just a recipe for disaster.

We need to remember that we’re all in this thing together. We may be a nation of individuals, but we’re stronger when we work as a team. So put down your selfie stick, step off your self-made pedestal, and lend a helping hand. Maybe then, just maybe, the American Dream can become a reality for more than just the lucky few who were born with the right bootstraps.