You ever wonder why this American project which aims at the “American Dream” without first addressing the American condition feels like its doomed to fail?  You’re not alone.  See the way I see it is unless you’re taking a look at science and what the data shows about people, human behavior, and how a sustainable culture can be created, then we’re just throwing around terms like American Dream and the like without concrete steps on how it can be achieved.

Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist with Russian roots who created the Hierarchy of Needs, which he believed needed to be fulfilled, satisfied, our met before any sort of self-mastery was possible.  Things like air, food, water, shelter, made up the foundation of the Pyramid.  As you rose above those needs, other needs would follow, like love, nurture, education, etc.  I suggest my readers google Abraham Maslow for a clearer picture of what I’m referring to.  Continuing along, only when these more and more complex needs were met, would the individual be able to accomplish the Ultimate, reaching his or her highest potential in life in whatever vocation they chose.  The person could choose any vocation, it’s up to them, but they also chose to be the best at it.

I believe Bernie Sanders here in America had great intentions and a great plan; mainly to tax the ultra rich fairly and use the funds to help the American people with such things as he’s outlined in his plans.  This is where I believe the simplicity of Bernie’s message was pure Genius.  It was simple yet guess what, it achieved a great thing, meeting people’s more and more complex needs.  Eventually, if allowed, the process would likely create a society rich in self-actualized people, people who became amazing at their craft simply because their basic to complex needs were being satisfied. 

So here we are, the American dream is alive and well.  The problem is no hardly anyone can attain it because there are things called needs which are not being satiated in people.  Instead people are told what to do, “Oh pick yourself up,”  “Grow up,”  “Get a job,”  “Pay your own damn way.”  etc.  Meanwhile automation is coming, many jobs will be obsolete, and jobs don’t pay enough to make rent or pay for basic human necessities. 

Universal basic income, and other “free stuff,”  aren’t really free.  They come from tax dollars.  Dollars we all contributed.  See, I go back to the American dream, it’s actually awesome, if only we decided to make it possible to achieve.  I think anyone who’s been thinking about how it all “works,”  can finally understand.  Any political theory or charisma in politics is nothing compared to a truly deep understanding of the Data, the realties of the human condition, how people behave when given a chance to succeed, instead of just an illusion of a goal without any resources to get there.

For you young readers, check out Positive Psychology too.  Anyways, stay healthy people.  Peace out!