QuoteThe worst promoters gf the myths are not the people born rich, but the ones who DID live the American Dream and yanked themselves out of poverty by one means or another.  There's always a few success stories in every generation, and that's all the media needs to perpetuate the myths.

This is interesting. RE and I were talking on the phone recently.  In my case the American dream has worked out in many ways.  I get nearly a full boat of social security, and now that we have some real interest rates instead of a ridiculous 0.05%, my 401 K gets bigger every day.  I could easily be a cheerleader for the system.

I could claim all the good breaks I have had in life were the result of my own efforts and all the bad ones too.  Why not?  I am what is called a success.  The wolf of debt does not now howl at my door.  I hear him in the distance, but he is far away.

RE said 'right now the system is treating you well'.

Right now it is, and I am getting a share of the plunder of generations yet unborn.  But I am not a cheerleader for 'the system'.

Our system leaves blood on the floor. 

Success in America depends on an unfair distribution of stuff, and while in my particular case my assets can all be traced back to 'work', I am the exception that proves the rule. 

There were two jobs in my life where I made 'the big bucks'.  Big bucks being twice or more the average wage of Americans.  When I had those jobs I was a money saving fool.  Nothing in our family lifestyle changed at all!  No extra expenses or trips.  Those two jobs gave me enough income to buy 'success', and if I had no soul I would be a MAGA Republican right now.

As proof of this claim, the reputation service lists me as a Republican.  Their software no doubt assigning me political membership based on my housing.  My politics which you here all know, are closer to Noam Chomsky than anyone else I know.  And these fuckers want money to correct the issue.  I will piss on their shoe first.

Cursed with a little more than MAGA intelligence, and possessing a soul. I choose to pay attention to the reality.  My success is a matter of being paid extra gravy that other people did not get at certain times in my life and not spending the cash.

I was fully qualified for both the big buck jobs, and I was the right hire for them.  I was qualified and my employers were happy with my work.  These employers also had enough money to pay me a premium that other people working for other employers could not get.  (Premium - The high end of the going rate.)

Other jobs I had in my life did not pay the big bucks.  A few of them should have, but our 'system' considers salary history in addition to qualifications and experience.  I was paid at the 'low end of the going rate' for a long time.  Saving money in those jobs was next to impossible.

Responsibility and effort are ingredients to success.  That is the way of the world, and if you don't think so you believe in magic and can go fuck yourself.

But success in America depends on somehow getting an unfair portion of the economic pie.  Responsibility and effort do not guarantee success, and are not necessary ingredients for it.  (Success being defined in terms of wealth, for me it is more complicated as you can tell from my disdain of magic).

Working for me has been like being a player in a casino.

Qualifications and good work being necessary in all the employment games I played, the fact is, some paid off and some did not.



I walk out as a winner.  My luck could have been different.  For the same work.

QuoteThe worst promoters gf the myths are not the people born rich

I have known enough rich people to know that many of them fully understand and embrace unfairness.  It is the secret to their success, so they both know it, and they are fine with it.  Your statement is about cultural hegemony, those who force compliance and do the brainwashing.  Middlemen parasites who do the dirty work without even knowing what they are doing.  Priests teachers and such.  Israel has a right to exist don't you know.  These people are effective promoters of group-think.  The rich could not be rich without them.  That is for sure. 

But I'll say they are not the worst because their ignorance gives them a pass at being the worst.