The Demise of the Economy and the American Dream

Has anyone ever considered that the political issues that tend to captivate the majority of our attention are only there to keep the middle and low classes' attention diverted? Two posts ago what I wrote concentrated on these issues (topics such as abortion, gun laws, homosexual marriage rights, stem cell research, and voter equality) that seem to really get the "average" American riled up. In that note I concluded that none of these issues really matter. Some of you may take great offense to that notion, such as those who feel all life is sacred and begins at conception, those of you who own many guns, etc. But did you really ask yourself the question? Do these issues really matter?

Our economic problems appear to trump all others at the moment but I think we all should've seen this coming long ago. No one had the foresight to do so, but once I explain the ultimate reason (and believe me, this will be controversial) why we are in this current economic peril, hopefully it will clear a lot of this up.

The blame is shouldered on several industries/entities: retail stores, chain restaurants, college universities (mainly their presidents and board of trustees), and the "average" man who made it to the top.

Retail stores and national chain restaurants caused much of the demise of our economy. They claim to have halos over their heads for offering America so many jobs and providing "opportunity" where there wouldn't be any if these places didn't exist. Disguised in that opportunity are low wages, unpleasant working conditions (i.e. standing up non-stop for hours), and the prohibition of unions. A number of other policies also spawned as a result such as "the customer is always right," "employment-at-will," and "quick advancement opportunities" that have furthered the demise of the American economy. These industries have taken advantage of the opportunity afforded to them and run with it. The owners had a vision of their "American Dream" and took every means to fulfill it. But somewhere along the line, their vision was lost and dollar signs became all they could see.

I know how this sounds, and you'll be asking the question 'So how did all this bring about the demise of the economy?' These places are all quick solutions for those who need to solve the "means to an end" that exists in all our lives. We all have to earn some kind of living or income or we'll be homeless/less entertained/"unhappy." These chains and industries slow the growth of our economy. The people who work these jobs make less than those who are college-educated or who have acquired a trade/skill to apply in an industry (such as auto repair). They give less to the economy because they have less to give. The "benefits" offered in some of these industries aren't sufficient either. Someone who barely takes enough home to get by will probably elect not to have health care coverage if it's deducted from their pay. But what if you have children? If you elect to receive those benefits and don't make enough, you'll either have to work more hours or take another job if your hours are maxed out (employers have formulated how to work around overtime now too). This means less time with those children and your family. Less time can have an effect on any number of issues: academics, athletics, health, and the development of personal responsibility/accountability.

Lost in all this is the effect retail/chain restaurant jobs have on the economy. People who work these jobs put less into the economy. They make less and yearn to have more (credit industry collapse?). I haven't even mentioned the factory industry. While the pay there is better, the debilitating effects on a person's health are well-documented. Will the money you make while your health holds up during the first 10-20 years be enough for you to get by on when you're a senior citizen at 40 years young? Ultimately, these employees are also employed "at-will" and their employment, along with their better pay and benefits, can end at anytime for no reason at all. What will someone do if at 50 they are let go by the auto manufacturer and have health defects now as a result? Jobs for those on disability or handicapped are very limited and often are humiliating (Wal-Mart greeters anyone?).

So where does this problem originate? Our education system. How often do you hear on the news that America has fallen behind other countries in math and science? This is a direct result of an underfunded, understaffed education system. It sounds bad, but after hearing the news I would venture most blow it off after a few minutes, maybe even have a brief conversation with someone about it, and then just let it go.

This attitude has to change. If we aren't educating our children to the maximum of their talents, we are handicapping our nation. Industries all over will fail to advance and maximize their efficiency and resources without having advanced minds. Look at the poorest nations in the world. Their education system is broken and consequently so is their country.

Our universities foster most of the blame for the demise of education. You may ask how that makes any sense but you must look outside the box. The rising costs of post-secondary education make a degree, especially an advanced degree (translation=anything above a Bachelor's), almost unaffordable. How do we allow these higher learning institutions to continue to increase the costs and halt the advancement of nearly everyone? I say everyone because universities get the most funding. Universities are like the retail industry; those in charge increasingly find ways to make more money and leave plenty of children behind. What I'm stressing here is the problem lies at the feet of the colleges themsevles. Anyone can go to college now; look at all the loans available. Some place the blame on the loan industry but they only tag along with the current college scam: The universities are setting the prices, and loan companies just provide the means if you don't have any of your own. Education is for the priveledged only or for those who are simply willing to accept the debt incurred and be a "step ahead" of the uneducated applying for jobs (although this could be disputed too, after all, if you're educated generally you start out making more money and business is all about cutting costs even at the expense of quality).

If such funding was channeled to our public school system first (private schools don't count here, they get their own funding from tuition), our children's talents and abilities would be maximized prior to considering post-secondary education. Is all of this starting to sound related?

In case you can't see what this is all leading, I will spell it out for everyone: The universities are connected to the retail and food chain industries. It may not be direct, but it is definitely a connection that affects everyone. If everyone had their talents maximized after high school graduation, how many would really resort to working at Steak N' Shake or Target? If everyone had their talents maximized, then when we left high school, we would have a general idea or direction of where we wanted to go in life or something to pursue. If we still weren't sure, a job at one of these retail stores/chain restaurants would be available to us while we transition into what we want to do with our lives. If we gained an advanced/higher position through that transition job while there, maybe that's what we would really like to do. But lets be honest here, NO ONE aspires to be a manager at McDonald's. It's a position acquired because you don't know what else to do or where to turn.

That's where the "quick advancement" tagline used by these industries originated. Think about it, a promotion makes everyone feel good regardless of the job. It makes you feel like you earned something and now this company has you in the palm of their hand, right where they need you. Mottos like "people work here from all walks of life" should be true but not to the extent that someone is in this position because they were ill-afforded a quality education that could maximize their potential. As a country we have seriously been taken advantage of on a monumental scale. The average salary in 1973 was $33,000...in 2005? $29,000 (source: "Free Lunch" by David C. Johnston). Should this be a surprise? The industries that have developed as a result of our current lack of concern with education have destroyed the "American Dream."

The lack of proper education extends to all walks of life. Outdated sex education has failed to advance our country to overcome and reduce the amount of STDs/STIs, unplanned pregnancies, and abortions. Investment has become a major industry yet personal finance classes prior to the college years are almost non-existent. Instead of focusing on advancing science, we focus on changing it (i.e., evolution v. creationism) and as a result, diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, most forms of cancer, and HIV still have no cures. Our knowledge of the brain is guesswork at best.

Money has become the focal point of everything and our shifted priorities are destroying our nation. What happens if we find a cure to breast cancer? Will there be no more pink ribbons or walks? What happens if we cure all our children? Will there be no more Riley's license plates? The amount of money poured into these funds still has yet to find cures. Our problems have become a business, their own industry in fact, and our lack of education has blinded us from knowing better.

Which brings me to the last measure that brought about the downfall of our economy. Mr. Average Joe who started at the bottom and worked his way to the top. My last job had that syndrome. The company president started as a salesman. He rose to the top and now he helps call the shots (at least, that's what he wants all of us to believe). This example is the detrimental hope that kills our motivation to do something we love instead of solidifying our means to an end. In fact, the means to an end has become irrelevant now, it has been superceded by a lust for money or what we all know as greed.

I bring Average Joe Company President up because he's the example cited to everyone that you'll be just like him someday. There's part of that statement left out though. You can be just like him someday if you start your own company and make it that successful. This story breathes hope to those who would normally not have the desire to stay in a job they really don't like. It strikes something inside all of us, you say to yourself, 'Wow, that could be me someday. I'd be in charge and making the big bucks. And of course, I'd do a much better job than anyone who had it previously.' You forget that you never thought of your current job at a retail store/chain restaurant as a career. Maybe when you applied you thought it was something you'd like to try out for a little while, but not have as a career. It starts out as a steady paycheck until you find something you would love to do.

All the industries that decided to use this story of "anyone can make it to the top" were a step ahead of everyone. It's not to say that one of us, someday, won't make it to that position, but the probability that this might actually happen is so slim we'd have the same odds that we have when picking our powerball numbers. Mr. Average Joe Company President is proud of his one-in-a-million accomplishment and reminds everyone all the time of his story of success. What he may not realize is that his story is giving false hope. And false hope is worse than no hope at all.

Maybe you can see, as I see now, how the retail and chain restaurant industires and how the universities all directly (yet separately) brought about the demise of the American Dream and the economy. Education is what we are lacking to overcome all of this. If you still don't believe me, consider this: How many college graduates do you know who work at Wal-Mart?