Let Them Eat Cake
Ok, people. I'm a bit nervous writing this post. Will I be dismissed because I grew up poor in the 1970s and 1980s? I'm Gen-X—the bridge generation between analogue and digital. I understand cursive and code. Do you?
Growing Up Without
In 1983, living without a phone wasn't cool; it meant isolation. Duct tape wasn't quirky—it was insulation. "Forgetting" lunch wasn't forgetfulness; it was because there was none. I wasn't a Wolf of Wall Street. I was just a kid who dreamed not of a new bicycle but of reliable electricity and maybe air conditioning.
Yet, despite it all, I fiercely believed in the American Dream. I worked three jobs through college, always holding down multiple gigs. My college parties were nonexistent. My first non-beater car didn't happen until my thirties. The price of my American Dream was steep. The continual manual labor, mental exhaustion, 70-hour work weeks, and missed vacations have taken a physical toll—but it was worth it.
Books Were My Social Media
Books were my social media. Rome fascinated me; Paradise Lost at twelve confused me thoroughly. Edgar Allan Poe enchanted me, and tabloids taught me about Bat Boy. Political shows on Sunday mornings taught me critical thinking and respectful debate—remember George Will, William F. Buckley, and Tip O'Neill?
But at fourteen, I learned a harsh truth: society values the rich and fears the poor—not physically, but out of fear of becoming poor themselves. Despite being a top student, I was denied entry into the prestigious St. Rose High School because the administration believed my mother couldn't afford the tuition. Around this time, my mother warned me, “The rich never carry money. They'll always ask you to pay because they've conveniently forgotten their wallets. That's how they stay rich. Don't be fooled either—they rarely marry outside their class."
By the way, poverty doesn't see colors—white, black, yellow, and brown all stand in the unemployment lines, and the poor have to take care of each other no matter the color. The kindest people to me have always been those we are taught to fear.
Side History Note: My mother raised four children independently during the Feminization of Poverty era. She was “legally” fired from a convenience store in the 1970s because my parents divorced. As you know, “All divorced women steal.” True story. Ladies—it really was bad out there.
The Culture Wars & Division
My personal history taught me that societal divides are carefully maintained, often disguised as "culture wars." Today, the Woke and Anti-Woke narratives dominate our discourse. We should question these culture wars being marketed to us—who benefits from our division? Who gains power? Who profits?
Historical Insight: The Fairness Doctrine
Let's explore a little-known but impactful doctrine dismantled by the Reagan Administration in 1987: The Fairness Doctrine.
This doctrine applied only to broadcast licenses—not cable, making it crucially distinct (Fox and CNN are cable, basically entertainment). For clarity, here’s the official definition:
"The fairness doctrine of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC), introduced in 1949, was a policy requiring holders of broadcast licenses to present controversial issues of public importance in a manner that fairly reflected differing viewpoints. In 1987, the FCC abolished the fairness doctrine, prompting some to urge its reintroduction through Commission policy or congressional legislation. Its demise has been cited as a contributing factor in rising political polarization in the United States." – Wikipedia
Why this matters: Do you like being brainwashed?
I don't want us to go the way of Jim Jones—(Ok, kids, Google that one.)
For news, I prefer reading widely over watching cable. My approach has always been to explore diverse perspectives: from the Book of Mormon to Scientology pamphlets, Oppenheimer to Iceberg Slim—recommended by Dave Chappelle—to narratives both tough and educational. Aldous Huxley once said, "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."
We can respect perspectives without fully experiencing them. I've never been pregnant, yet I respect the pain. Understanding comes through listening and empathy, not shared experience alone. Our laws, intended to protect us from ourselves, are disappearing faster than we realize.
The Controlled Burn Theory – Trying to Keep Hope Alive
(You can check out my Controlled Burn series on Patreon. Hey, nothing wrong with being a capitalist, but we need regulations to keep the wolves of Wall Street at bay.)
I'm not famous, wealthy, or have "clout." I'm just a person who fought to rise from poverty to stability. But I've learned that hard work alone isn't enough to protect the American Dream. Our freedoms and protections can vanish quickly.
Honestly, do you think the world wants to return to fatalism and nihilism? Yeah, our forefathers didn't get it all right, but aren't we still the "Shining City on a Hill"? When we fought against taxation without representation, we sparked a dream. The fire is going out - fast.
Final Thought: Listening to Preserve the American Dream
Ultimately, love, friendship, and being on the right side of history truly matter. And yes, electricity is pretty awesome, too. (Okay, I sound a bit like a hippie, but hippies had some good ideas, too. Plus, I'd rather not return the Statue of Liberty to France. Would you?)
What's your story? Have you experienced this divide? Can we bridge the gap to a balanced "We the People," not just "We the Wealthy"? Should we bring back the Fairness Doctrine?
I'm listening—because preserving the American Dream starts by genuinely hearing each other across all divides, colors, and classes. That's how hope survives. When hope dies - everything dies.
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