I'm better than all of you.
You can't keep up with me.
My kids are better than yours,
In our house with golden doors,
You'll never be up here to see.
Our lawn is perfect and green,
Our wardrobe always in style,
And if you say "I don't like to live that way"
We'll claim that you're just in denial.
What is it about American culture that causes us to lose sleep?
It’s our strive to live up to certain standards- We must keep up with the Joneses. It’s a bad case of extreme pseudo-success- You can’t just have a nice house to be the best, you’ve got to have a mansion. And on top of that, you’re going to need a new car, lots of toys, a full staff of maids and assistants, and a closet bigger than Bloomingdale’s to gain the spotlight. Why? Because Harper’s Bazaar, GQ, and Cosmo says so. You’ve gotta be thinner, stronger, richer, sexier, and popular if you want to be the object of envy. Your kids must be the best soccer players, have perfect GPAs, curly, frizzless hair, and big, straight, white smiles if they want to be friends with my kids. And your husband- well, he better be really hot and make loads of money doing the least amount of work. On top of that, we can’t forget community service- throw in hours upon hours of fighting homelessness, building houses, saving puppies, and cleaning up rivers, and you’ve got the standard for a “successful” person in today’s America. It’s this attitude that contributes to our lack of sleep. For many, it’s just not possible to be the best at everything and sleep 8 hours a night. Most people would much rather sacrifice a few hours of shuteye (and thus their health) in order to get a step or two closer to idol-like status. We can’t keep that perfect, spot free toilet up to par if we’re busy snoozing the night away. Our kids won’t have that perfect homemade lunch, complete with paper bag artwork if we don’t get up 30 minutes early to make it. How are we going to keep a perfect lawn if we sleep in on Saturday? Although some people are less vulnerable to fall into this way of thinking, the many who are vulnerable help shape an image of the American Dream that causes those who don’t live up to it to feel inadequate.
More to come!
Cheers,
LQ
You are definitely right. I have trying to live up to the AMERICAN EXPECTATION. I admit at one point I wanted the perfect house with the white picket fence, a perfect husband, two kids, a dog, the whole nine. But in reality that's not what I really wanted. That 's what America painted for me. I'm tired of dieting, of working two jobs, of plastering make up on my face and wearing certain clothes. If it's a Barbie that America wants out of me, THEY WON'T GET IT!!!
PS: Sorry if i seem a little mad..lol
Jasmin Muniz
Yeah this whole idea of materialism, and being the best/having the best can really be irritating, but there is nothing wrong with loosing sleep to fulfill your dreams. sheep of the government can hold in their heart the dream that the government propagandized for them, but that is still their dream, and happiness and liberty and all that jazz comes with the prize. I do think that we are focusing too much on what is had than what is known (IE i value experience over stuff, rather go to Africa) to see a tiger rather than have a tiger skin rug kinda thing) but people are entitled to their own goals and stuff. Its basically a belief, and people hold steadfast to their beliefs. Should we use these goals to signify status and social class... absolutely not, and i think this was the point of your article, but by all means if you want the normal 2.5 kids white fence yada yada yada, go for it.
I agree, to each their own. The problem is when everyone starts sacrificing their health and well being to pursue something. I think that as Americans we put so much emphasis on living up to the stereotype of success that everyone feels this ideal life is worth sacrificing anything to get-including physical well being.
http://progressiveu.org/blog/leslieq
Check it out...it's a work in progress.
this is true
if ive got a honda and you have a BMW i am going to want a hummer
it's not only the need to feel feel better its the need to be better to me more than enough, to be extraordinary, to be the one with the powa (power, i wrote it like that for more ooumph!)
for college appilcations its the same buisness but ten times more competition. with the want to get into the best school, you have no control over your own life as when someone asks you: "Why are you involoved in so much?" or "Why do you stress yourself over so much?"
Every aspiring ivy-league bound high school student will respond: "To get into college." Period.
This is so true. But as one reply said to each its own. If they want to live there big extravagant life so be it. They have the money to waste on 5 brand new cars when the can only drive one at a time, 3 mansions when they can live in only one at a time or even the finest clothes when the can only wear one set at a time. They have the money for it right??? But the question is with all the money, new cars, biggest house and best clothes is life really still fulfilling??? Obviously not cause you will always hear some drama with these type of people. Yea they have the best this and the best that but, somehow they get addicted to some drug or suffering from depression. Money solves NO answer it can go but so far.
I also struggle with whether or not this is morally right- should I spend $400 on a purse when I could buy one for $0.50 at a thrift store and use the other $399.50 to buy food for a homeless shelter? I also consider this idea when buying coffee, shoes, a car, a, house, you name it. Sometimes it seems like I've earned it, but where do I draw the line? I have a hard time spending a large sum of money just on coffee and eating out each month when I know from experience that $5 can buy a week's worth of balanced, healthy meals if you get really creative. My struggle would be easier if I only thought about Americans- every citizen has the opportunity to better themselves here, no matter what your background is like. This isn't the case in other countries, and I question myself as to whether or not I have a moral obligation to help them out, or if I'm doing a morally unacceptable thing by not helping out.
F*** Religion. Read more here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/020528-f-religion
Let your conscience be your guide. Sometimes you may really want that new Chanel purse and matching wallet but if you already have it in black; think to yourself "Can I survive with turning the blue one down?" It's what you think about it or the answer you come up with.
I try to think that way, but I still question myself as to whether or not I should quit living the American way and if we are morally required to help others instead of living lavishly. I think we live quite extravagantly compared to other cultures and countries. I don't feel bad or obligated to support many Americans because we DO have opportunities to better ourselves by working, but in other places this is not the case. I just can't decide whether or not we have a moral OBLIGATION to help others that don't have these opportunities even if it requires us to sacrifice our earned luxuries, or if it should be optional.
F*** Religion. Read more here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/020528-f-religion
Tell the truth i like the glit and glamour. Not that I'm a part of it. But yes I do think that making the most money with the least amount of effort and having a mansion and clean toilet would be the tops. I mean if people didn't care about this kind of stuff why would we even be talking about it.
If we really feel that it's to each his own and you dont want to be a part of the top list then why would you post on it?
Not to sound an ass, I know that this disscusses the health aspect of not sleeping and i agree, many people avoid sleep for a lot of these reasons. I myself have been trying to catch more as I try to hang out with friends so I don't miss the really cool party or that hilarious outburst your friend had.
I think the problem is there is so much that can be done adn people don't have enough time to do it. Before people just had to match up with other people in their town. Now, with help from the internet, you have to keep up with the world.
I'm not sure how well thought out this comment sounds and im sure it's full of typos and mispellings but I must go. I'll be back to fix it up.
My point here wasn't necessarily to condemn everyone who chooses to live this lifestyle. The only time I have a problem with it is when someone tries to tell me I'm a slacker because I only work 50 hours a week and everyone else is doing 70. When the overworking, no sleep attitude becomes "normal", then one is forced to keep up with it in order to simply keep a job. In this situation, if you don't keep up with the go-go-go lifestyle, someone else who will could replace you. It hasn't reached that yet, and with the help of the upcoming "lazy" generation whose parents work like this to pay for absolutely everything, it probably (hopefully) won't. But if someone honestly wants to work all the time to go above and beyond even if motivated only by materialisting things, that's perfectly fine with me.
Disclaimer: I don't think every young person is a member of what I call the "lazy generation"- I know there's still some good young adults out there.
F*** Religion. Read more here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/020528-f-religion
Yeah, that is what is wrong the world today.