"The Horatio Alger myth, so inspirational during periods of growth, may work against people during contractions. Its message of can-do individualism urges us to beat the odds, but it cuts us no slack when the odds grow terribly long. The impotent struggle to prevail against conditions that won’t yield can prove the unmaking of self-made men, and perhaps turn them into madmen now and then. For true believers in the gospel of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, the notion that bootstraps sometimes snap — and occasionally in great numbers, simultaneously — is destabilizing and bewildering. To accept that this notion is true may suggest that you have been lied to about how the system works, provoking resentment. To deny this truth may convince you that the defect lies in yourself, provoking despair."
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Ann wrote:
These are the types of myths generated at the time America drastically changed economic directions with the intent of propping up supply side economics and consumerist society. Well, look how well that’s working for us now. Except for the fact that I’m female, I am the target demographic for the Horatio Alger myth — coming from lower class, poverty stricken roots, I’ve worked to support myself since the age of 14. I’ve worked hard, paid my way through college, took a job in Human Resources to advocate for those that need help making it. I pay bills, give to charities, and am fortunate enough to be able to help family members out financially when necessary; yet, I’m still one major medical expense away from deep debt poverty. I can do all these things because I’m single without children. The only problem with economic myths is the false promise they convey — all one has to do to be admitted to the world of the wealthy is to work hard and behave as they do. The most pervasive and unconsciously accepted myth in America is that this country is class-less. We’re so deeply in denial of reality it’s no wonder that we’re addicted to pop culture reality shows and celebrity.
Posted 23 May 2009 at 2:14 pm ¶
Minotaar wrote:
The Myth also uses heroism to obfuscate the fact that many who achieve their dreams steal their success from the mouths of the poor and disenfranchised. There are individuals who add immense value to our civilization, but there are individuals who have amassed great wealth simply by developing ingenious ways to steal it from others.
Posted 23 May 2009 at 7:18 pm ¶
RCHOUDH wrote:
It’ll be really interesting to see if and how average Americans will cope with the shattering of the Alger myth. How can we be still be expected to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps when we weren’t responsible for getting into this economic mess in the first place, and when we feel powerless right now towards finding a resolution for it?
Posted 23 May 2009 at 8:02 pm ¶
Celeste wrote:
I’m ready for that myth to die. It’s primary uses are to reenforce priviledge and as a blunt instrument to beat up on disadvantaged peoples.
Posted 23 May 2009 at 10:58 pm ¶
Neville A. Ross wrote:
I never thought that I would advocate this in all my life, but I say that it’s time we take all of the Horatio Alger books , and burn them. Purge any and all libraries of this creed, as well as any databases containing this stupid shit. Michael Moore talked about this in one of his books, yet nobody made the connection until now? It’s time to start.
If at all possible, all Americans would be subject to a Men In Black-style national neurolyising via TV, so that all knowledge of Horatio Alger is purged from the minds of all American, even those who never read a book by him (I would also recommend the same be done to Ann Rand’s books as well).
This would then be followed by a national re-education program in the lessons of the Great Depression, why we needed the laws set up to prevent it, why they were destroyed by the Reagan Revolution, and why we need those laws again, and why they are necessary, followed by why unions are necessary, and also why getting rid of class inequalities is more important than lifting up oneself by one’s bootstraps.
Then, life in North America (I say North America because Canada also has a version of this bullshit creed despite its much vaunted-by-Americans social safety net-and we’re in the same boat as the United States) can get better.
Posted 24 May 2009 at 11:35 am ¶
elle the elephant wrote:
@ Neville A. Ross:
Thats a great idea. It seems to me that the thing stopping people from getting off their asses and doing something about the problems in this nation is that whole American Dream bullshit. “This is America,were always gonna have democracy and free speech, and be a superpower and justice for all,fascism and extreme poverty can’t happen here, our government will never be corrupt,it can’t happen here” that type of unrealistic mentality is still present in America, that type of mentality that leads to extreme greed,racism,abuse of power,hypocrisy,apathy, and narcissism.
A part of me is glad the economic crisis is happening, its causing people to wake up to reality, to realise that our economic system of greed can’t go own, and never was logical in the first place. I know have a peace of hope for the future of humanity.
Posted 24 May 2009 at 7:18 pm ¶