The American Dream is a Global Scam!!

It was a late night when I sat across from my best friend, John. We were drinking beers after a long week of 9-to-5s that didn’t count. We started talking about our futures — like we always do.

I think I need a change,” John said, his face pinched and weary. “I’ve been working 50-hour weeks for years, trying to make it in this country, but it feels like I’m just spinning my wheels. The American Dream. I’m not even sure it exists anymore.

I looked at him, suddenly noticing the deep frustration beneath his words. John was a classic case of the American Dream — immigrated to this country with nothing, worked his way up in technology, and rose through the ranks in the corporation. And yet, here he was, doubting everything.

“Perhaps it isn’t you,” I hesitated to say. “Perhaps the dream was never truly meant for us.

That was when it struck me — the American Dream wasn’t just vanishing for John. It was vanishing for all of us.

The American Dream Myth: What Is It Really?

The American Dream once meant something. It was the notion that in America, hard work pays off — that anyone, regardless of where they came from, could become a success. This myth of meritocracy is what drove millions to immigrate to the U.S. in search of a better life, including my own family.

But the truth?

Wealth disparity has hit record levels.

The richest 1% of Americans possess more wealth than the bottom 90% combined.

Just 40% of poor children ever make it out of poverty.

America marketed us an illusion, but the reality is that opportunity is not equal — it’s tilted towards those who are already on top.

Why Hard Work Isn’t Enough?

I recall when I first came to the U.S. I perpetuated the myth with every fiber of my existence. I did believe that with enough hard work, I’d make it, regardless of my starting point. But as it went on, I started realizing the flaws of the system.

Student loan debt: When I graduated from college, I had $50,000 in loans. I was assured that my degree would lead to success, but after five years of barely getting by, I found that the system had only set me up for a lifetime of payments.

Corporate climb: John, who immigrated to the U.S. in the early 2000s, believed that if he continued to demonstrate his value at the office, he’d sooner or later get promoted. But last year, when he was bypassed for a significant promotion for someone with “better contacts,” he started doubting everything.

It’s no longer about grinding hard — it’s about whom you know and whom you can finance. For ordinary folks, the dream is as distant as memory.

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The Global Impact: The American Dream Exports Its Lies

It is not only Americans who are being deceived. The myth of the American Dream has been globalized around the world, particularly to nations such as China, India, and Mexico, where millions of people dream of migrating to the U.S. to pursue this illusive dream.

I met Anjali when I visited India a few years ago. She was among the most brilliant students in her class with grand ambitions to study in the U.S. She had nothing in terms of money, but she was stubborn. She assured me that she would succeed.

Two years later, I ran into her at a café in San Francisco. She seemed tired. “I’m working 60-hour weeks in a low-paying job, barely making rent,” she said. “The Dream. it’s not what I expected.”

Her tale is not uncommon. Around the world, millions are sold on the notion that success is merely a plane ticket away. But what they fail to understand is that many never even cross the starting line. When they do arrive, they’re dropped into a system that frequently takes advantage of them — without ever providing them with the opportunities they were sold on.

Are We Truly Free?

I can’t count how many times I’ve heard, “America is the land of freedom.” But what does freedom really mean when your basic needs — housing, healthcare, education — depend on your paycheck?

Consider healthcare, for example. I saw my friend Sarah, who had been working two jobs for years, struggle to get by. One evening, she fell and broke her ankle, but she didn’t want to go to the hospital because she knew the costs would be overwhelming.

This is the reality about freedom in America: it’s freedom for people who are financially able to access it. The rest of us are in a system where it pays the rich and punishes the others.

The American Dream Today: Where Did It Go Wrong?

If we’re being real, the American Dream has turned into a corporate hustle. The system that once held out the promise of “success through hard work” is now a marketplace where your worth is measured by how much money you can make.

Here’s a look at today’s reality:

-Gig economy: Workers are forced into jobs without healthcare, paid time off, or job security. They work more hours for less pay.

-Student loan debt: The average student loan debt is around $37,000. For many, this debt is a lifetime sentence.

-Housing crisis: Homeownership is becoming a distant dream. In major cities, rent has outpaced wages by a ratio of 3:1.

The system is rigged — and it’s not just about working harder. It’s about a structure that doesn’t allow for upward mobility unless you’re born into privilege.

The Global Discontent: Is There a New Dream?

The world is slowly realizing that the American Dream is a global scam. In France, citizens have marched against increasing inequality. In Brazil, voices are increasingly calling for universal basic income to make sure that everyone can prosper, not only the rich few.

Young people, particularly, are turning away from the notion that success is wealth accumulation. Rather, they’re looking for community and fairness.

Actually, my younger cousin Ravi, who resides in Mumbai, said to me, “The American Dream isn’t for us. We don’t want to run in a race where the finish line keeps moving further away. We want a world where everyone has a chance to win.”

What Does the American Dream Really Mean Today?

The American Dream never was for all, and we need to drop the illusion now that it ever was. It’s time that we released our fantasy that it’s possible to make it for anyone if one works hard enough, because as far as a majority of people are concerned, that’s always been a farce.

It’s time for a new dream — a dream that is not dependent on individual wealth or personal achievement, but on shared prosperity, communal resources, and real freedom for all.

The question isn’t whether the American Dream is dead. It’s what world we’re going to create next — fair, empathetic, and free