The American dream was made impossible with the introduction of income tax, although the granting ‘personhood’ to corporations was a contributing factor too.
George C. Boldt went from rags to millionaire when millionaire meant something. He was able to outright buy a competing hotel to the one he already owned less than 20 years after coming to America as a dish washer. This was in the late 1800s, before income tax and massive corporations.
In fact, it’s believed by many that Boldt’s story inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby.
Andrew Carnegie is another notable immigrant who went from near-naught to millionaire.
Or if we’re allowed to include Americans, John D. Rockefeller, and Henry Ford
As corporations grew and income tax was introduced, it became nearly impossible for someone working a menial job to put enough money away to ‘rise up’ and join the ranks of the elite. The most recent examples people cite, like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, etc. came from wealth already.
Now, do you want to continue this discussion? If so, I kindly ask you stick to actual facts, and stop trying to insult me and/or inferring I wrote things that I didn’t.
And I am beginning to question whether The American Dream was a dream or a mass delusion.
It has always been a delusion. Don’t get me wrong, you can work hard and scrape a living together but you’re not getting rich without a lot of luck and capital backing.
Or alternatively, with collusion and/or a lack of morality, most likely while abusing or circumventing laws. This is the easier route, which is why most now-billionaires took it.
The US has lost its luster.
And I am beginning to question whether The American Dream was a dream or a mass delusion.
Meanwhile Bezos is shutting down Venice so the mondo-wealthy can go to his second wedding.
You have to be asleep to believe it, as George Carlin said.
It’s a big club and you aint in it.
Been saying it for years. The US is a third world country with iPhones.
You are just now beginning to question the American dream? No offense, better late than never, but man it’s very very late…
The American dream was made impossible with the introduction of income tax, although the granting ‘personhood’ to corporations was a contributing factor too.
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George C. Boldt went from rags to millionaire when millionaire meant something. He was able to outright buy a competing hotel to the one he already owned less than 20 years after coming to America as a dish washer. This was in the late 1800s, before income tax and massive corporations.
In fact, it’s believed by many that Boldt’s story inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby.
Andrew Carnegie is another notable immigrant who went from near-naught to millionaire.
Or if we’re allowed to include Americans, John D. Rockefeller, and Henry Ford
As corporations grew and income tax was introduced, it became nearly impossible for someone working a menial job to put enough money away to ‘rise up’ and join the ranks of the elite. The most recent examples people cite, like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, etc. came from wealth already.
Now, do you want to continue this discussion? If so, I kindly ask you stick to actual facts, and stop trying to insult me and/or inferring I wrote things that I didn’t.
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It has always been a delusion. Don’t get me wrong, you can work hard and scrape a living together but you’re not getting rich without a lot of luck and capital backing.
Or alternatively, with collusion and/or a lack of morality, most likely while abusing or circumventing laws. This is the easier route, which is why most now-billionaires took it.
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I know from a great-uncle that you can get lucky without being an asshole. But that’s rare.
Better late than never