This is the reality that American media obfuscates. Movies, TV, the news… they all depict the “default” American as basically doing fine financially. Everyone is “middle class” at worst. Everyone has a decently large house, a newer car (usually a SUV) for every adult, goes on vacations, eats out, and is generally free from material precariousness. And for the middle class in America, this is more or less reality.
This appearance of the “default” middle class American is so pervasive that everyone, including the working class, believes it.
The issue is, this middle class American is NOT the “default”. Most Americans have less than $1,000 saved and are ruined by just one severe economic shock like losing employment. The family depicted here is far closer to being the median American than what you see in media. It may not seem like a big deal but I honestly believe this is one of the most effective weapons in preventing class consciousness that is out there.
I believed it for years. I always thought that the US being a democracy took good care of its citizens who due to living in a free society are better able to voice their grievances and have the government respond accordingly.
I didn’t realize that I was better off materially in an absolute monarchy. I understand the cultural and societal norms in Saudi Arabia aren’t for everyone, even many other Arabs find it repressive. But you won’t be needing materially. Certainly nowhere as being homeless or going hungry, even if unemployed.
From social cohesion and strong familial ties, to lots of welfare and financial aid from the government. Everyone gets quality education for free, so it is very easy to break out from poverty. Public schools here have the reputation for being better than private schools which are seen as where students who can’t make it in public schools go. The public universities are also free but highly competitive. No legacy seats, everyone must go through the same entrance exam. If you make it in, you are actually paid a monthly allowance.
Of course being an absolute monarchy it has its flaws too. For one, no new citizens even if born here, unless your parents and grandparents and great grandparents were. Citizenship in Saudi Arabia and other Arabian Gulf states is an exclusive club and can be revoked.
These insane figures I guess are what lead people into “great replacement” type right wing conspiracy stuff… or maybe the conspiracies lead into these insane figures…
some of that is media overrepresenation, but I also think some of it is that you don’t notice when things are normal/what you’d expect. Like, it would be weird to walk into a cracker barrel and think “lotta white people here.” Might as well walk into a gas station and be shocked by the cigarettes.
I noticed pretty quick how this type of shit doesn’t scan, even as a kid. Everyone I’ve ever known basically lives in apartments, is in permanent debt on a shitty car, has no savings & not a lot of if any vacation time, and usually has to scrounge money to get a pet spayed or whatever. The American media portrayal has always been so out-of-touch that it was bizarre to me.
Coincidentally my ex was a military brat and she actually DID live in the spacious house with the SUV for each adult and tons of vacation time/eating out. It was like peeking into a fantasy land, weird. Coincidentally she was insufferable
I grew up with two kids (among others) who had similar material circumstances. Each lived and raised in a full-size, four-bedroom house in excellent repair, both parents earned well above poverty level incomes. One car per parent replaced with a new one about every 5 years, and a hand-me-down given to each of the kids when they got their driving licenses.
They had privacy, peace and quiet, never wanted for food, enjoyed weekly dining out with the entire family, had regular gatherings with more distant family (who also enjoyed similar material conditions), multiple yearly vacations, virtually anything else that related to comfort and ease of mind. Both of these kids grew up into borderline sociopaths with self-admitted libertarian ideologies.
This is the reality that American media obfuscates. Movies, TV, the news… they all depict the “default” American as basically doing fine financially. Everyone is “middle class” at worst. Everyone has a decently large house, a newer car (usually a SUV) for every adult, goes on vacations, eats out, and is generally free from material precariousness. And for the middle class in America, this is more or less reality.
This appearance of the “default” middle class American is so pervasive that everyone, including the working class, believes it.
The issue is, this middle class American is NOT the “default”. Most Americans have less than $1,000 saved and are ruined by just one severe economic shock like losing employment. The family depicted here is far closer to being the median American than what you see in media. It may not seem like a big deal but I honestly believe this is one of the most effective weapons in preventing class consciousness that is out there.
Yeah I suspect our media and it’s ubiquity around the world is why so many foreigners are Ameriboos despite stories like the OP posted.
I believed it for years. I always thought that the US being a democracy took good care of its citizens who due to living in a free society are better able to voice their grievances and have the government respond accordingly.
I didn’t realize that I was better off materially in an absolute monarchy. I understand the cultural and societal norms in Saudi Arabia aren’t for everyone, even many other Arabs find it repressive. But you won’t be needing materially. Certainly nowhere as being homeless or going hungry, even if unemployed.
From social cohesion and strong familial ties, to lots of welfare and financial aid from the government. Everyone gets quality education for free, so it is very easy to break out from poverty. Public schools here have the reputation for being better than private schools which are seen as where students who can’t make it in public schools go. The public universities are also free but highly competitive. No legacy seats, everyone must go through the same entrance exam. If you make it in, you are actually paid a monthly allowance.
Of course being an absolute monarchy it has its flaws too. For one, no new citizens even if born here, unless your parents and grandparents and great grandparents were. Citizenship in Saudi Arabia and other Arabian Gulf states is an exclusive club and can be revoked.
Americans believe that 20%-30% of Americans are trans, Muslim, and millionaires. I am not kidding
https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/41556-americans-misestimate-small-subgroups-population?redirect_from=%2Ftopics%2Fpolitics%2Farticles-reports%2F2022%2F03%2F15%2Famericans-misestimate-small-subgroups-population
These insane figures I guess are what lead people into “great replacement” type right wing conspiracy stuff… or maybe the conspiracies lead into these insane figures…
some of that is media overrepresenation, but I also think some of it is that you don’t notice when things are normal/what you’d expect. Like, it would be weird to walk into a cracker barrel and think “lotta white people here.” Might as well walk into a gas station and be shocked by the cigarettes.
All those trans Muslim millionaires.
Did they asked the same people? Jewish + muslim + atheist = 90%. Native + Asian + Black = 97%. New York + Texas + California = 92%
I noticed pretty quick how this type of shit doesn’t scan, even as a kid. Everyone I’ve ever known basically lives in apartments, is in permanent debt on a shitty car, has no savings & not a lot of if any vacation time, and usually has to scrounge money to get a pet spayed or whatever. The American media portrayal has always been so out-of-touch that it was bizarre to me.
Coincidentally my ex was a military brat and she actually DID live in the spacious house with the SUV for each adult and tons of vacation time/eating out. It was like peeking into a fantasy land, weird. Coincidentally she was insufferable
I grew up with two kids (among others) who had similar material circumstances. Each lived and raised in a full-size, four-bedroom house in excellent repair, both parents earned well above poverty level incomes. One car per parent replaced with a new one about every 5 years, and a hand-me-down given to each of the kids when they got their driving licenses.
They had privacy, peace and quiet, never wanted for food, enjoyed weekly dining out with the entire family, had regular gatherings with more distant family (who also enjoyed similar material conditions), multiple yearly vacations, virtually anything else that related to comfort and ease of mind. Both of these kids grew up into borderline sociopaths with self-admitted libertarian ideologies.