The American Dream is seriously over-rated. In fact, with today’s consumer debt levels, pursuing one’s dreams is downright dangerous for an overwhelming amount of Americans. Here are just a few reasons why people should just give up the idea of chasing their dreams…

 

Reason #1: Your dreams are probably not even your own.                                                    

Give them up if the dreams you have come to believe are your own actually originated from…

-Your high school or college advisor.

-Some guy named Jelly in the context of any conversations concerning the topics of “trafficking” or “buying a franchise”.

-The people who raised you.

-Advertisements for Jaguar, male enhancement pills, NordicTrack, or ‘Get rich working from home opportunities’.

-Hip Hop lyrics.

-Anyone you are dating or married to.

-Rising Star (TV singing shows fail to create stars) or Ultimate Blackjack.

-Emails from someone named: DarreL, entitled: HAvEVERYThingUeverWAnteD.

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Reason #2: Your dreams are the main reason you are attending college.

The likeliest path for college graduates these days is not the road to Fame and Wealth, but as assistant manager for Budget Rent-a-Car. Unless your dream involves a 35K a year job with an outdated computer and days spent begging for office supplies, don’t waste your time and money on college to attain your dreams. And, if you insist, at the very least, don’t major in the Social Sciences.

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Reason #3: You are not already rich.

Chasing after your dreams in America costs a lot of money—more than most people have in disposable cash. Chasing after money, fame, or self-fulfillment involves paying for a chance to win (a career lottery ticket, of sorts) and you will need an awful lot of them.

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Reason #4: You are not already very well-connected.

These days it is impossible (unless you are an incredibly lucky person, of course) to attain the American Dream of Success (in terms of wealth and fame) unless you are very, very, very well-connected in the field you are pursuing. If you are the child of a famous movie producer, Captain of Industry, music or publishing executive, artist or celebrity, you are in good shape. For everyone else, if you want assurance of becoming famously successful, you better commit a sensational crime (or at least confess to one).

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Reason #5: Working in Customer Service does not put you on the path to wealth.

Enough said.

 

 

 

Reason #6: Taking anti-depressants is no way to live.

No matter how determined and talented you are, attaining the American Dream of becoming successful at Fame and Fortune is an illusion. Chasing after it is more likely than not to lead to failure. Continued failure can lead to depression. And taking anti-depressants to cope leads to impotence and lowered sex drive, which, as we all know, is just 5 minutes away from death.

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Reason #7: We need our garbage picked up.

All right, this is the bottom line: We do not want everyone out chasing their dreams. We cannot afford it. The reality is that most of ‘em will never attain fame and fortune and in the meantime, we need people to pick up the garbage, repair the cars, and defend us against the IRS. If your kids’ dreams involve being the best plumber in the country, that’s good. But as soon as they start to cross over into talking about becoming a celebrity or rock star, it is your civic duty to enlighten them. Immediately.

 

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