The American What?

The 4th of July celebrates the freedom of America. It reiterates that with hard work and sacrifice, we can all achieve our goals and ultimately reach "the American Dream"-- living in the suburbs, having congenial neighbors, and showing off your new-age-sleek kitchen appliances. We dedicate this holiday to the people who have made our democracy possible, who allow us the freedom to move up in our capitalistic society and skyrocket from rags to riches, much like those on America's Got Talent.

However.

While every nut on the planet thinks that moving to America will give them equal opportunity to that beacon of light--the American Dream--they are disregarding the fact that every other nut here wants the same exact thing. If there were a race, metaphorically speaking, and there were a couple of people in it, one's odds of winning are pretty high- and even if one does not win, he or she is at least guaranteed a top 20 finish.

On the other hand, in the American race, we are caught up in a stampede of bare white legs, some fat and some thin, some slightly darker or harrier than others, and there is hardly any room to run, or even breath, when there are also those shirtless foreigners in the race with short-shorts and sweatbands, and everyone is pushing everyone else...one in the race must wonder how anyone will ever win when everyone is so damn close to each other!
 

Those who opt for the less popular race--the ones who strive for daily short term goals instead of chucking their entire lives into the belly of the American Dream Monster--those are the ones who actually succeed in this country. The ones who are more concerned with the journey and the ones who believe that getting there is all the fun, those people find happiness. The ones who don't give a shit whether or not they're prosperous, as long as their lives have meaning and substance and love and...love...they have accomplished something.

I believe we must be in a happiness slump, an America that is never satisfied because no one ever wins, an America that feels entitled to rags to riches and is always disappointed when it doesn't happen. An America that swims in excess. An America that consumes instead of trying to understand why they're unhappy.

An America trapped in the belly of the American Dream Monster,

and the only way to get out is to win America's Got Talent.