elkoholic Posted January 29, 2021 Report Share Posted January 29, 2021 Just wondering what everyone's version of "The American Dream" really is. I know it is based on the thought that all have the opportunity to succeed. What is success? An unrealistic dream or a hope for an unlikely stroke of luck can result in nightmares, not a pleasant dream. Opportunity does not always lead to success, but is just having the opportunity, the "dream". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted January 30, 2021 Report Share Posted January 30, 2021 I don't think it's the same for everyone. I would say the stereotype would include ones health, home ownership, family, annual vacations as well as a job to finance those things. For me the American dream includes the stereotype as well as owning a house on a couple acres that has a garage/work shop for projects. Some hunting land close to home and an out of state hunting trip every other year for big game. It took 50 years but I can finally say I'm living the dream! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultradog Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Implicit in that statement is we have the right to pursue happiness but not a right to happiness itself. Happiness, like success, is not easily defined. One man can consider himself happy and successful with an acre or two of land, a moble home and an old car that gets him around. Another man might need a castle and a 100,000 head of cattle to consider himself as happy and successful. One woman might have pushed her 3 children through grad school, saw them married well and gets to see her grandchildren frequently. Another might have hoped to get on govt assistance and live in a Section 8 highrise apartment and have a close relationship with God. When she achieves those goals she considers herself happy and successful. Happiness and success are relative. They are undefinable. They are like the term quality. Robert Pirsig wrote a lengthly tome (Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance) trying to define quality. It was a great book but he couldn't definatively give a standard for quality. One might say that all 4 of the above mentioned people - if their sense of accomplishment, if their relationships, surroundings and things seem to have quality, if they provide a sense of success, well being and happiness - have achieved Their version of the American dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkoholic Posted February 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 On 1/31/2021 at 6:58 AM, Ultradog said: Implicit in that statement is we have the right to pursue happiness but not a right to happiness itself. I think that the opportunity to pursue a better life (within legal and moral constraints) is the "American Dream". Happiness, on the other hand, is often unattainable in the long term. One would have to be completely satisfied with who they are and where they are at in life, and humans seem to have an insatiable appetite for "more". As hunters, we constantly look for something that will kill something deader, as if that will make us happier. We will never be happy (beyond the moment), simply because we are never satisfied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted February 8, 2021 Report Share Posted February 8, 2021 On 1/31/2021 at 7:58 AM, Ultradog said: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the "YOU KNOW..THE THING" Just lived it for the last 9 weeks!!!! So were the Keystone workers until you know.. the "THING" pulled the plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultradog Posted February 9, 2021 Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 13 hours ago, Mathews XT Man said: "YOU KNOW..THE THING" Just lived it for the last 9 weeks!!!! So were the Keystone workers until you know.. the "THING" pulled the plug. Yeah, I saw Biden had pulled the plug on Keystone. Wondered if that would affect you. Only good news I saw that pertained to this was union boss Richard Trumka slammed him for it. Hope it is yet another nudge for unions to start endorsing the other party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted February 9, 2021 Report Share Posted February 9, 2021 7 hours ago, Ultradog said: Hope it is yet another nudge for unions to start endorsing the other party. I'm just not seeing it happen. Trumka might just find out where Jimmy Hoffa is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultradog Posted February 10, 2021 Report Share Posted February 10, 2021 16 hours ago, fly said: ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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