Redditor Unveils The Harsh Reality Behind The Illusion Of The ‘American Dream‘

The part of the ‘American Dream’ no one tells you about.

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• April 2, 2024

When you hear someone say ‘American Dream,’ what’s the first image that pops into your mind? Let me guess: a mansion with a picket fence, a sports car in the driveway, and enough money to swim in like Scrooge McDuck. Am I right? 

While that might have been the case about five decades ago, the reality is quite different now—and we’ve got a significant number of netizens who feel the same way. 

Someone shared a rather intriguing take on the infamous facepalm subreddit. It was about the rollercoaster ride of being an American child, and it stirred up quite the conversation.

The story begins with the harsh reality of being born into less-than-favorable circumstances, which, if we’re being completely honest, is the reality of many. Your mother gives birth to you regardless of being in no position to raise a child, and there you are, navigating through life. 

You’re thrust into a care system that's more 'scare' than 'care.’ One where your guardians are sometimes the very shadows you’re meant to be shielded from. Fast forward a few years, and school becomes less about ABCs and more about active shooter drills that become as routine as math quizzes.

If you manage to survive and make it to college, you're greeted with the not-so-warm embrace of crippling student debt. This financial burden follows you like a shadow, right up until the days of ‘paycheck-to-paycheck’ adulting.

And just when you think you've seen it all, healthcare swoops in like a financial wrecking ball. A single illness can send you spiraling into bankruptcy, thanks to the mountain of medical debt waiting to pounce.

Introducing the American Dream

Some more details in case you’re confused about DNA identification kits being in a student’s locker

“Kids don’t have lockers anymore because they could house g**s and dr*gs.”

“The land of the free doesn’t care if they live or not.”

“The teachings about America being the ‘most powerful country in the world’ is a powerful form of brainwashing. We really need to open our eyes.”

“The US is a hard place to make it, but it is still possible to make it. There are countries like my native Nicaragua where you straight up cannot.”

Most people in third-world countries consider Americans as ‘lucky’

“You have to have a positive mindset even if it is forced otherwise you’ll spiral.”

Not everyone agree’s to the poster’s ‘pessimistic’ take

“Jesus, people who complain this hard about the us should spend a little while trying to live in a third world country.”

“America is great if you've got money, sucks if you don't.”

“I know USA doesn’t take care of all its citizens like many European countries do, but USA is damn better than a developing country like Cambodia.”

The post sparked a wildfire of responses, especially when it zeroed in on the flaws within the US education system. 

From calls for reform to heartfelt personal anecdotes, the thread became a melting pot of ideas, frustrations, and, of course, a dash of dark humor—trust Redditors to always deliver on that front.

In the end, whether one views the post as a bitter pill of truth or an exaggerated jest, it undeniably serves its purpose. It's a mirror reflecting the highs, lows, and everything in between, of growing up in America.

We’d love to get your thoughts on this post. Join the conversation in the comments.

Jesse