The American dream in Fear and Loathing was to be found in Las Vegas. On the surface its a bright, shining beacon of what can be attained. The riches and the glory of victory over circumstances, the rags to riches mentality that we discussed in class. But the underbelly of the whole scene, is grimy and desperately hopeless. Thompson is trying to say that the American dream is not not everything that people believe it to be. This nation was built on hard work and dedication. A people truly united and wanting to create a free state that all men have the opportunity to make a place for themselves. Now its a cesspool of desperate men grabbing for whatever they can get the fucking hands on.
Now we see this nation in a crisis in the gulf coast. This is the worse than Katrina, maybe not in the death total, but the effects of this oil spill will be felt for the generations to come. And what do we do about it? Everyone bitches and moans that its Obama's fault or BP's fault. Now we are standing in one big pissing match where everyone is pointing their dicks at someone else. "Its not my problem and I sure as hell ain't gonna fix it, that's for the guys in Washington or the oil tycoons across the pond." Well, now its everyone's problem. Eight weeks has gone by and the leak is still in full strength, with an entire industry completely destroyed. This isn't Haiti or some middle-of-fucking nowhere place, this is our backyard. The American dream has never been about being apathetic, but that is the way things have been going. During WWII, the country got off their lazy, self-centered ass and made it work. We became the greatest nation in the world, built on the backs of parents and women here at home. Now its time again to do something. If your tired of the way things are, which I surly am, then can't something be done?
In class, someone mentioned a division between realism and idealism. This is true, there is a distinction between the two, but at some point idealism needs to be made a reality.. I'm not asking everyone to run for political office, but get in touch with what it going on. Get your damn priorities straight. Provide for your family, but look out for others. Maybe it's not so 'golden rule' as it sounds but where has the sense of community gone? we didn't get here by just covering our own ass. If change is to come and the American dream to be realized, it will take more than one person. It will take a group of people with one voice.
I agree wholeheartedly. People want to complain about problems with our country whether its the oil spill, healthcare reform, or whatever, but very few people want to actually DO something to affect change. We're a nation of selfish, self-indulgent assholes looking out for number one, and while I try my best to do my part I must include myself in my assessment of this nation's citizens. The American Dream has to be a two-fold dream--what the individual life can be and what this country can be. American lives tend to reflect our nation as a whole or perhaps it's the other way around. More likely, it's probably both occurring in tandem. But ultimately, when the national mentality is me, me, me our government's mentality is me, me, me...well, we are headed down a scary path where one day in the not so distant future we will get to feel what it's like for some other nation to be the world's super power, one that may not like us so much. Unfortunately, whatever happens, America's gonna get what's coming to her, and we'll only have ourselves to blame.
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