I’m going to preface this week’s post with a question: How did we get here?
I’ve been listening to an artist by the name of Ren recently. I was introduced to his work through a little internet joke about characters explaining business economics to others, using one of his songs: “Money Game – Part 2”. This led me to listen to the other parts of “Money Game”, and I’m feeling a sense of enlightenment about our country, because the songs made me think about the corruption that effectively controls our lives. I’ll discuss each “part”, or each song as it were, and how I see them connecting to the modern American Dream.
Part 1 – Starting off humble, both in message and in music. Ren spends most of this song criticizing prejudice against other races and ethnicities. Most of his criticisms are aimed towards the U.S., referencing our past (slavery is directly mentioned, taking land from the natives is referenced) and present (referencing Executive Order 13769), and even the irony of raging against immigrants when the common “American” is technically an immigrant from Britain. Overall, Ren shames the idea and ongoing practice of taking away others’ American Dreams in exchange for their own.
Part 2 – I’ve seen people online make jokes using this one, but there’s definitely a message Ren’s telling here: Power corrupts. In the first verse, he references the disorganized, hypocritical, and – most importantly – corrupt government of Britain, though this message be applied to America’s government in some places. In the second verse, he provides “business economics in a nursery rhyme”, the crux of that online joke I mentioned earlier. It’s an unsubtle story of how entrepreneurs rise to wealth, power, fame (or infamy), and how they’re corrupted by all of it. Arguably, you could see this verse as reaching the American Dream itself, while it also sheds light on the negatives of that dream.
Part 3 – The longest of the parts, and undeniably more serious. Ren tells the story of a boy named “Jimmy”, and his monumental rise to and fall from success. This is arguably an extension of the second verse of Part 2, telling how a man could attain their American Dream, but could easily hunger for more – maybe because of some advice from another, maybe their own drive, any number of reasons could drive anyone to ruin and harm the lives of others for their own gain. Is this the American Dream of today, building an empire off the backs of unfortunate souls?
With all that said, I’m bringing back the question: How did we get here?
Why is greed and power such a driving force, to the point where it consumes individuals – both in personality and mortal lives? Why do we call out these wealthy and powerful individuals but do nothing to fix their issues? Why is this America? Why is this Britain? Why does history keep repeating itself?
We may never know.
My perception of the American Dream has been ruined by this course. I still think it’s real, but it’s much worse than just comfortable living. Or maybe I’m being overdramatic, I don’t know anymore.