Millennials and the American Dream

Source: Chris Kutarna

We are familiar with the concept that with hard work, persistence, and initiative, it is possible for any person to achieve success and prosperity.  This idea is known as the American Dream, and is well-known around the entire globe.  This is why we see so many people fleeing their homelands to immigrate to the United States.  Due to the crippling grasp of communism and dictatorship in countries such as Venezuela, Cuba, Columbia, etc., it can be near impossible to make a name for oneself and to find a successful and happy life.  

This successful and prosperous life doesn’t come without challenges and it doesn’t come without work. This was understood a century ago, but the question is, do we understand it today?  It seems as time goes on, we want to reap all of the benefits of the American Dream without putting in the required work.  Millennials, for example, are one particular group who want to live the life our parents are currently living.  We want the nice house, and the fancy car, not to mention the lavish vacations, and shopping sprees.  I’m sure sometimes our parents scratch their heads, wondering when we will understand that it wasn’t easy for them to get to that point, and surely it won’t be easy for us to get there.  

The point is, however, that the American Dream is still a real possibility.  And it’s a real possibility, for everyone.  That is the beauty of it.  The American Dream doesn’t discriminate by picking and choosing who gets to be successful, but rather it gives all the opportunity to live the life he or she wants. So, it may be time for some to have a wakeup call to realize that all of the glamour and shine won’t come without a price. 

The First Mystery

The Moonstone offers a fascinating view of the social constructions of the late 19^th century that creates a unique dynamic. Many of the actions made by characters in the book are formal and when there is an outburst, they immediately apologize for “breaking the norm.” I found it interesting that it reflected an almost feudal system where the rich family was waited on by several servants, however, it was much more progressive as the relationship between the characters was not only financially motivated but often out of love or loyalty. Despite potential motivations for their work, the servants were much like an extended family to the nobles they served. This book reflected the strong distinction of social class between these nobles, government officials, and the common servants and lower class, evident during this time period.

This novel seems like one of the original thief stories. I noticed connections between both mystery and crime forms of media.  These connections to mystery include a highly observant detective seeking the truth who is hedged up from every side. Such films, books and tv shows as the timeless Sherlock Holmes come to mind in this department. The intricacies of the plot to steal the diamond remind me of Ocean’s 8, which is a film about an inside job performed to steal a multimillion-dollar diamond. In the real world, we rarely hear about intricate thieving plots.

The Moonstone was a large diamond worth an outrageous amount

While participating in a discussion online at Goodreads.com, I found an interesting viewpoint on what this book brings many firsts to the table by Bill Kerwin. He points out that this book was the first to detective novel with a large guest list of suspects, the first to have a small, suggestive clue have significant impacts, the first crime reenactment at the scene of the crime, and the first pursuit of a disguised criminal through a major city.

I believe that this book opened up a new form of entertainment. While many novels already existed, this genre engages a new market of mystery lovers. This niche of entertainment has become a large part of the entertainment industry with thousands of films, books, and stories utilizing precedence’s set by The Moonstone.

A quote that struck a chord with me was when a character of the book was announced to have killed herself, Gabriel, the narrator at the time, made the quote: 

“Your tears come easy, when you're young, and beginning the world. Your tears come easy, when you're old, and leaving it. I burst out crying.” - Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone

Image: 17914, by PublicDomainPictures/Images, Licensed by Pixaby from CC 2.0 

To Live in the Shadow of a Giant... Spender: Pope Adrian VI

The Little Man Himself, Adrian

Note: This can be considered a follow-up to my previous post about Pope Leo X, found here.

Of the few virtues people consider universal, charity is high up on the list. However, another one that few people ever think of, or apply to their lives, is frugality. And indeed, from the beginning of his time in the Papacy to the very end of it, this was an issue that Pope Adrian VI had to deal with. Having to serve as the successor to the infamously burning wallet that was Pope Leo X, Adrian found himself with all of the mess and none of the benefits his predecessor enjoyed. To mix up a famous quote: "He was the pope they needed, not the pope they wanted." The reason for such was his extreme efforts to restore the Catholic Church to it's former economic position. To do so required numerous spending cuts, which the Cardinals and other Catholic officials did not like in the slightest due to the luxury they immersed themselves in during the time of Leo's reign.

To say that I see myself in Adrian's shoes is an understatement. He was truly a holy man, (as well as a miser, but still a holy one) surrounded by people who would spend lavish amounts of currency for new robes. Almost all my life I have done my best to hold on to every penny I touch, whether that be by buying new shoes on clearance, not spending a dime of my summer allowance in order to buy a game I wanted later, or even skipping meals so that my semester budget doesn't go overboard. Meanwhile I look around me and people are searching to buy the newest gadget, the clothes that are in fashion, the shoes whose adornments match their hair. Pope Adrian is the type of person I would look up to in this world, one who is frugal, quiet and truly believes in the things he preaches and does. I sincerely hope that this man is happy in the next world.

Image Credit: "Pope Adrian VI" (public domain images via Wikimedia Commons)