So what if your selfish for your own spiritual development? One may ask if it is even best for "me" to value money so much. I'm not critisizing money, but...
Often, if I were to say "I question your values. I question the emphasis you place on material objects," the response I would get is "yeah, well, I make a hell of a lot more money than you, so I don't think you have a case."
The American dream seems to get us money. I mean, there are the poor, and there are the homeless (which, you know, is pretty much atrocious), but our standard of living increases, our military might remains mighty, and our cultural influence is pretty damned strong. And this goes for my fellow man as well. My question is, though, even if we didn't have homelessness, and we eliminated the worst of the poverty (not having enough food to eat and not getting basic medical care), then would the American dream be a good thing?
Does a rags to riches tale belittle the one in rags, who never quite makes it to riches? Does it say to the construction worker, you aren't living the American dream?
Or does it give hope to those without? Can it be a source of inspiration, and give people a reason to get up in the morning?
I believe that the answer to all these questions is "sometimes." |
