© 2012 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. As a youngster I saw a poster with the inscription, “I am Captain of my ship, but I cannot control the weather.” I stood transfixed in front of the poster as I pondered the meaning. The poster showed a wild sea and someone grasping the wheel of the ship resolutely.
I spoke to my father about the notion. He smiled indulgently and offered what he thought he was going to be doing upon high school graduation. It was photography, but he could not anticipate how it all changed because World War II started midway through his senior year. He quit school to join in the service of our county. Instead of taking hometown Wedding pictures, he became a combat photographer. He held a camera as he always intended to do, but the weather was quite different.
The more I thought about the poster the more I could see I was in control of myself and at the same time was not completely in control of all of the stuff around me. The weather notion held my attention through many years and many times when the weather had the upper hand over me and yet I always felt I controlled my destiny. I have that saying over my desk as I write.
Perhaps it is true since against all advice I write and talk for a living after coming from stock that worked with their hands. While I am able to repair and construct stuff, I would rather do something else. And who is to stop me other than myself? That is the essence of the American Dream.
Among other things it is the American Dream for each of us to control our own destiny. That is a freedom our country was founded upon, that each of us has our own future in hand and can select different futures if we want. Most of us did not ask someone before we went after a dream, and many of us succeeded or failed against the advice of loved ones and friends. We individually own our failures and successes.
In the Old Country where generations ago many of us originated, if you were born the son of a pig farmer, you would more than likely die a pig farmer. Why? Because your future was not yours, it belonged to the society which needed a dependable supply of pig farmers. You lived for the society so there was little control of your own destiny.
Even today in many countries the control of your own fate is not left to the citizen; it is mandated in many ways by the society whose needs take precedence over the individual needs of a citizen. It is only a dream to follow your own star in those societies such as Japan and some countries in Europe because the focus of the country is upon the needs of the country, not the citizen. There is a group-think that puts country ahead of individual citizens. That is their dream and here in America we have our dream.
The American Dream is many things besides each of us being in control of our own fate. Most people in our country dream that their children will do better in life than them. And the grandchildren should do even better. That is a dream my parents and grandparents knew and embraced. The gifts of independence and freedom I was given was always aimed toward me. But I am afraid it is not longer so in this society.
How is that freedom to do whatever you want working now? Frankly, little by little over the years it has worked less and less. The government intrudes constantly upon our choices and tries to make citizens do what the government wants and needs.
Further, we are spending the inheritance of our children and grandchildren for the purpose of politics today. Each day we take more and more of their futures and spend it upon ourselves. Our desire to win elections today has trumped their dreams of a bountiful future.
Can we give the American Dream to our children? Not if we spend their future today. What dream are we leaving our children? No dreams, only debts.
Dr. Michael Swickard is co-host of radio talk show News New Mexico 6 to 9 a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
