The American Dream is a Sham

By Lee Parker

I moved to the country so I could be free. Free of the congestion. Free of the intrusive eyes of Big Brother. Free of the mass mentality that believes anything on TV must be true.

I wanted to be free from the pace, hassle, and pressure of urban life. I just wanted to be free to breathe clean air and drink clean water.

However, after being in the country for several years, I now see civilization creeping my way; new housing developments are almost at my doorstep. Is this the American Dream? If so, I find myself thinking, “BEWARE of the American Dream.”

The newly constructed houses are exactly like modern America. They are constructed on landfill, so as the ground shifts, the foundations will break. A good contractor knows that a solid foundation is necessary if the house is expected to survive the challenges of time and weather. Do not buy a house built on landfill or expect one to survive if the foundation is not set on solid ground.

Like these new houses, America no longer rests on a solid foundation. The foundation of America has shifted. The sands of time have broken the bedrock on which this country was built.

I walked through some of these houses and was amazed at the mass-produced construction. Expensive looking bricks covered particleboard exteriors. Fancy false fireplaces were made of flimsy metal. The plumbing was plastic. The exterior was plastic. Every conceivable trick was used to build a house that looked good on the outside but was cheap on the inside.
People who buy these houses don’t know who constructed the walls, joists, tile, brick or mortar. They have no control over the workmanship and cannot ensure the quality of the work, and most will have to go into debt to purchase a house that will fall apart before the loan is paid off!

The structure of America today is very similar to these cheaply made houses. In American politics, short cuts are taken wherever possible. Rather than adhere to our highest laws, Congressmen regularly vote for regulations that spit on our Constitution, often without even reading the bills themselves! State and local government officials ignore the will of their citizens by consistently passing burdensome ordinances and imposing oppressive taxes. Every day, elected officials violate the trust of their constituents in order to further their own thirst for money and power. The American Dream has become a house of cards.
The American Dream has become a nightmare of self-serving, money-grubbing politicians that are more interested in building what looks good than what is well made. The American Dream is a house whose foundation has been eroded by infestations among its population, of apathy, self-interest and complaisance. No longer do the American people care about the integrity of those who have been hired to run their country for them.

Just like these new homes, Americans prefer glitz and glitter to quality and longevity. Today’s American Dream house is superficial, cheaply made, and not intended to last. Americans accept this superficiality in homes just like they do in politics.

The American Dream is a sham. Glitz and glitter are all that matter. Honor and integrity have no value. Self-interest and insatiable greed are social norms. Quality be damned. People be damned. America be damned.

Beware the American Dream, and don’t buy a house built on a poor foundation and not intended to last.

This is Lee Parker with A Woman’s Point of View.