Living the American dream is one of the fortes of every successful person today. No matter where you live in the world, you always think – and believe – that Americans are living the ideal life. This is true for Americans themselves as well. According to a Gallup survey, 62% of Americans think that they are living the best life.
Why and how, you may ask? Well, for starters, there is exemplary freedom of speech in the United States. You can literally talk about anything and everything without any reluctance, be it religion, politics, gender stereotypes, or any other thing that is labeled ‘sensitive’ or taboo in other parts of the world.
Think about it: Comedians make jokes about religion. Politics is the favorite topic of stand-up comedians. LGBTQ and gender stereotypes? Well, no comedian leaves the stage without cracking jokes on these topics too. All these are ‘normal’ in the United States but do other countries have similar freedom of speech? Of course, not. In North Korea, for instance, if you make jokes about the ruling dictator, you will be jailed for ten years. That is only politics! If you make jokes about religion in other parts of the world, you could be even stoned to death.
But all of these are pretty normal in the United States. And when Americans proudly say: “I am living the American dream,” this is what they mean. The freedom of expression that they enjoy is unseen in other parts of the world.
Looking at this, you might wonder if America is the perfect place to be from all aspects; after all, it is a superpower and the most developed country in the world. It turns out that there is another side of the coin as well: While Americans enjoy unprecedented freedom of speech, they lag behind in other aspects. What is it, you may wonder? As it turns out, it is the essence of this worldly and material life: Money.
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Talking About Money in Households is Tabooed in the U.S
Shockingly, Americans consider talking about money taboo. Look at a typical American family, and you will figure out that parents do not talk to their kids about money. Jason Brown is a Brooklyn, New York resident, brought up by what he calls ‘prestigious parents.’ Here is what he has to say about his childhood. He asserts that money talk was not a thing in his family until he was 26. Furthermore, he concedes that until he graduated, he did not know much about money.
This is one of the harshest realities of American culture. They do not talk to their kids about money. They do not talk about things like:
- What is personal finance?
- How does money work, and how to save money?
- What does it take to make and earn money?
So, these are some things the average American does not get to hear. Ironically, they get to talk about anything and everything that you can think of. But when it comes to money, they are being hushed.