Everyone likes to win.
Winning in America means living the life you want to live. The American Dream has always meant having enough money to live a pleasant life. For some that takes more cash than others, but the idea is the same.
Now check out today's economy. If you're over forty or have kids, healthcare (including dental which few plans actually cover) is a major portion the cost of living. Then there's retirement. How do you live and save money for retirement? Take it from the kid's college fund? (O you have a kid's college fund? My kids college fund is state aid, of which there is none.)
Today's economy makes it hard for even the most "successful" middle class workers to have good healthcare, have a pleasant lifestyle, take care of the kid's education, and have enough money to retire and enjoy their golden years. In fact I don't know anyone who hasn't tried to do this and ended up in debt to their eyeballs.
Being in debt is not winning.
In fact doesn't there seem to be a corollary between the rapid growth in gambling and state lotteries, and the decline of most people's ability to pay for what they want and need? Everyone who wins the lotto says, "I'm gonna pay off my bills and my kids bills..."
We have the richest economy in the world. Losing here is better than winning in most other countries. But does that mean we should be satisfied? Everyone wants to win. Either change the game so we can win or stop waving the prizes in our faces.
I hate playing a sucker's game.
2 comments:
Dear MadMan,
My wife and I have been pomoting Debt Free living in NNY for over three years now. We found the same issues that you point out in your comments "Winning isn't everything but...." the only difference is we changed the game we were playing. The key was not waiting for some outside force to change, that never happens. Change starts with each person. If you don't like the way life is teating you change it now. Don't wait until tomorrow, do it today. With all this said, to make positive changes in your life you need a plan. A real plan, a detailed plan of what you want your life to look like. We help people set attainable goals and teach them how to reach them. Believe me, if I was able to make these changes and set goals and reach them anyone can.
Point Taken, One person taking charge can change his life. But changing my life requires changing the world. Or at least jousting at windmills.
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