So growing up, I had this idea that the American dream was about that if you put in an honest amount of work, you would be rewarded with a good life. This would mean you would be able to take care of yourself and your family, afford a car and a house. In my view, working one job would probably be enough.
Nowadays, I get the idea that the American dream has become about working your ass off in order to have a chance to become a millionaire. Somehow glorifying “the grind” appears to be a part of it too now.
Sadly enough the answer right now is to keep voting for the Democratic Party candidates and wait for the Boomers to age out.
If the Republican Party ever escapes its fascist fever dream or a new party takes their place, we should start looking at alternatives to voting Democrat.
PS - my theory about the Boomers is that lead poisoning brain damage explains most of their bullshit.
An episode of Last Podcast on the Left advanced a similar idea regarding serial killers.
Sure, we know the new highway system enabled travel that enabled serial killers. Sure, we know the improved investigative techniques and technology make it harder to get away with serial murder. But I couldn’t dismiss their take that serial killing was at its height in the 70s and 80s (and early 90s) and that leaded gas also fits nicely into that timeline.
I think Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump both illustrated that radically changing the Overton window is best done from within the established parties.
Bernie pulled the Democrats pretty far to the right of where they were, even in defeat.
And Trump … Well, I mean, he transformed his party into a cult.