The new American Dream?
Two or three generations ago, most people were farmers or factory workers, with most women being homemakers. The American Dream for the average person then was home ownership, and control over their survival. They hoped for a permanent place to live, and a dependable job (which meant a dependable food supply). The overwhelming “new needs” were communication tools like a television or a telephone, and a car (or another car), which made personal transportation over long distances a reality. Yep, today things are a bit different. Transportation isn’t out of reach for anyone, really, and neither is information and communication (even internet access is free at almost every local library). But what is left? The challenge in today’s world is to escape it, to a degree. Most people don’t worry about food, but most are reliant on a day-to-day job. To me, ‘ditching the rat race’ is the main way that people will improve their quality of life. The new dream is to be “free” from a set schedule, bei
