Subscribed Ideologies
Excerpt from I Deal to Plunder
Copyright © 2011-2013 by John-Talmage Mathis
Life is meant to be lived with purpose.
For me, my navigational purpose was the American Dream. I wanted to pursue this dream while pushing any and all distractions to the side. For the past decade, I have been putting the pieces in motion to allow me to chase the dream showcased within my mind since the earliest days. I did everything correctly; I played by the rules. I worked hard, I attained an education, and I tried to live life righteously.
I saw the Dream as a glimmer in the horizon. It was my North Star, and I followed it. I had a vision of what awaited me at the end of my path: my own home, a happy marriage, and me smiling on a rocker as I watched Nestle and my children playing in the backyard—my backyard. I planned to achieve this dream by earnestly working hard. It always seemed within reach. I wasn’t disillusioned. Many others used this same roadmap to achieve their American Dream. Why should this now be seen as a fantasy? Why is it that in my pursuit of this Dream I’ve encountered nothing but obstacles that have prevented me from achieving the reality of being sprawled in a rocker with a smiling child in a tire swing.
I’ve never felt that the American Dream was owed to me. I never felt that I was entitled to this Dream. This is why I laid the cobblestones before me for this Dream to be achieved. My childhood rascality didn’t produce everlasting consequences that restricted my hopes. And despite what was said in high school and from the indicative aptitude tests, I remained steadfast in my goals to attain a higher education. At jobs I stayed late and worked harder than the fella beside me. So, though I didn’t believe I’m entitled to any one thing, I did subscribe to the ideology of this society. I pulled at my bootstraps. I worked hard. So why then do I find myself without any of the gains from this American Dream?
Why do I find myself with such a disadvantageous life? Why do I feel as if I am a refugee of this nation—a refugee from the corporate free markets that dictate the standards of this land? Why, when I have experienced such injustice, have I been offered no guidance? Where are you, Mayor Glover? Where are you, President Obama? Where are the senators, the Department of Labor, and the safety nets of this nation? It is the mayor, the president and the DOL that are our only protection from these licentious employers.
Where are you guys?
Either help me or refuse me, but don’t be my pen pal.
I’ve been through enough hoops.
What have I subscribed to by seeking after this American Dream? What are the benefits? At least with a supermarket loyalty card, I know my membership offers me discounts on purchases. What about as a member of this country? I’m an able-bodied man who is now homeless. How is this even possible? Where are the safety nets? Where is the guidance? Where is my country? My elected representative?
# # #
I Deal to Plunder - A ride through the boom town. Pre-Release
Copyright © 2011-2013 by John-Talmage Mathis
Life is meant to be lived with purpose.
For me, my navigational purpose was the American Dream. I wanted to pursue this dream while pushing any and all distractions to the side. For the past decade, I have been putting the pieces in motion to allow me to chase the dream showcased within my mind since the earliest days. I did everything correctly; I played by the rules. I worked hard, I attained an education, and I tried to live life righteously.
I saw the Dream as a glimmer in the horizon. It was my North Star, and I followed it. I had a vision of what awaited me at the end of my path: my own home, a happy marriage, and me smiling on a rocker as I watched Nestle and my children playing in the backyard—my backyard. I planned to achieve this dream by earnestly working hard. It always seemed within reach. I wasn’t disillusioned. Many others used this same roadmap to achieve their American Dream. Why should this now be seen as a fantasy? Why is it that in my pursuit of this Dream I’ve encountered nothing but obstacles that have prevented me from achieving the reality of being sprawled in a rocker with a smiling child in a tire swing.
I’ve never felt that the American Dream was owed to me. I never felt that I was entitled to this Dream. This is why I laid the cobblestones before me for this Dream to be achieved. My childhood rascality didn’t produce everlasting consequences that restricted my hopes. And despite what was said in high school and from the indicative aptitude tests, I remained steadfast in my goals to attain a higher education. At jobs I stayed late and worked harder than the fella beside me. So, though I didn’t believe I’m entitled to any one thing, I did subscribe to the ideology of this society. I pulled at my bootstraps. I worked hard. So why then do I find myself without any of the gains from this American Dream?
Why do I find myself with such a disadvantageous life? Why do I feel as if I am a refugee of this nation—a refugee from the corporate free markets that dictate the standards of this land? Why, when I have experienced such injustice, have I been offered no guidance? Where are you, Mayor Glover? Where are you, President Obama? Where are the senators, the Department of Labor, and the safety nets of this nation? It is the mayor, the president and the DOL that are our only protection from these licentious employers.
Where are you guys?
Either help me or refuse me, but don’t be my pen pal.
I’ve been through enough hoops.
What have I subscribed to by seeking after this American Dream? What are the benefits? At least with a supermarket loyalty card, I know my membership offers me discounts on purchases. What about as a member of this country? I’m an able-bodied man who is now homeless. How is this even possible? Where are the safety nets? Where is the guidance? Where is my country? My elected representative?
# # #
I Deal to Plunder - A ride through the boom town. Pre-Release
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