The American Dream Script

We have all heard of it. We have all lived it to some extent. There is a narrative that runs throughout our culture about wealth and happiness. The American dream script. Hammered into our heads since childhood, we take it unconsciously as truth. There are many versions and varieties. The immigrant script. The grew up in the ghetto script. There are as many variations as there are different kinds of people. But they all share similar threads.

Through hard work and persistence The good life can be yours.

Yet, I sometimes wonder if we in the financial independence community are being loyal to such scripts. Day by day we are holding on to some of the tenants and discarding many others.

Frugality

Surprisingly, frugality and minimalism are not part of the American Dream script. It is, in fact, the opposite. We are taught from an early age that you can have it all. Not only can have it all, but deserve it.

It’s hard to pinpoint where the justification of such thinking comes from. No doubt that the mass media marketing engine plays a role. What better way to sell a product than tie consumerism with good old American pie.

I don’t believe that this was an original part of the true American dream script. Such tenants as hard work, rugged individualism, and persistence have been replaced by iPhones and big screen TVs.

Retire Early

There is no place in the current lexicon for early retirement. Our *FIRE *acronym comes closest to making this idea mainstream. But, in reality., the American dream script really doesn’t account for retirement until traditional ages.

In fact, the idea of slowing down, creating less, and enjoying life is somewhat anathema unless seen through the lens of buying more.

What are you supposed to do once you have worked your tail off and finally reached the precipice of success? Why, achieve more, of course. There is a never say die attitude. Even if your already have reached your goal,, there is always a higher more lofty place to reach for.

This is the American way. We rarely suggest good as a proxy for better. We often struggle with the concept of enough.

Hard Work vs Hardly Working

The financial independence community and the American dream script line up in one essential way. The value of hard work and sacrifice. There is no version of the American origin story that does not include putting your nose to grindstone and struggling against unbeatable odds to make it happen.

This is the quintessential truth that ties our community to the classic nationalistic rhetoric that we all grew up with.

Changing The Script

The financial independence community as well as the FIRE movement are gaining much national acclaim as of late. As the financial markets toss and turn, one wonders if all the hoopla will eventually die down when the economy plunges.

It is possible.

But it is also possible that we are at the beginning of a tidal wave that will change the landscape for the foreseeable future. This message of smart financial stewardship and freedom may eventually help modify the American dream script.

One day we might be talking about building lives of purpose, identity, and connection and then using such work to monetize enough to fund our physical needs.

That, to me, sounds like the true American dream.