Did you see article in the paper where a research centre decided to see if Americans still had faith in the American dream in light of the current economic crisis? Despite going out of their way to survey people whose dreams had been disappointed, there was an overwhelming optimism among people. What was even more interesting to me was the definition of this dream that they believe in: ‘Being free to accomplish anything’; ‘being free to say or do what you want’; ‘children being better off financially than you are’.
That’s the great American dream. What stood out to me was the emphasis on freedom and individuality. People want to be able to do whatever they want and say whatever they want. It’s all about me. I make my decisions and my dream and my life happen. I can do anything.
This says something about people’s world view. It’s all about me. I think sometimes we can be the same. But as Christians, as James reminded us on Sunday, life is about a community of shared love. It is in this community that we make our decisions and choices. And we act in a way that promotes this community. What a far cry from the great American dream.
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