WORKS CITED

WORKS CITED:

Bailey, Holly. "ABC News/Yahoo! News Poll: People Are Losing Faith in the American Dream." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 21 Sept. 2010. Web. 31 May 2012. <http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/abc-news-yahoo-news-poll-people-losing-faith.html?fb_source=timeline_news>. [12]

            Telegraph. "1.3m People Have Lost Their Jobs in the Recession, Finds Report." Jan.-Feb. 2010. Web. Apr.-May 2012. <1.3m people have lost their jobs in the recession, finds report>. [13]

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 http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png [9]

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGQwMJUBdU [14] 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeL9ov_yS18 [15] 

Summary and Ending.

(The end of an empire- when it goes back on its principles that made it great)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeL9ov_yS18 [15]

Has the American dream lost the pursuit of happiness, pursuit of freedom to work hard and keep the holy land the land of the free, or has the dream turned to who has what, materialism, and centralized around self pleasure?

Yes, the American dream has become a pursuit of materialism and pleasure rather than being centralized around the idea of pursuit of happiness and freedom. Gatsby, attained wealth to catch his dream however his dream was as worthless as the wealth he attained. When he died Daisy never came, she never took his side during the confrontation because she was to shallow and had the life that she could not give up for Gatsby. She had centralized her self like a psychopath around her self image and her self-pleasure. The 1920's people consumed and consumed, however, at the end of the decade all the wealth did not make them any happier it made them go through a depression both economically and psychologically. America went from a state of individuals to a state of two groups: The haves and have not's. Freedom has become and illusion, because reality is people are a slave. Slaves of our T.V telling us we will be a bit happier if we get a new t.v or car, we will become way more liked if we attain an image in this car or this suit.

This is the last post and I would like to say this book has been inspiring because it helped me remember that the constitution was written with different intentions than what we have created. It also has made me very pessimistic. The dream of a spiritual state is over it only worked when people were oppressed, the idea of freedom prospered. Today, we are fed all this crap that we don't stop and think, shit this is an illusion, why the hell am I working 12 hours to buy that stupid t.v when I can be out on the beach enjoying life. Money runs the world, ironically it's worth nothing. We have placed the center of our attention in an object of no worth, so what does that mean for human civilization? I can't answer that I am just a slave to this system as everyone else and a 18 year old who's wisdom and knowledge is equivalent to a sand particle on a beach.

Thank You.

The 1920's dream is over the dirty thirties reality has came.

    (When reality hit and the bubble popped and the illusion was gone, welcome to 1930's)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGQwMJUBdU [14]

    The novel is over, and so are the 1920's. The Great Gatsby is dead and no one comes to his funeral besides our friend Owl eyes, Gatz's father and our "moral" friend Nick. After all the parties that Gatsby held, with all the free booze, all those "friends" are gone. His dream, his love, his world is gone with Tom no where to be found. The man is 6 feet deep and no one is there, Nick has to beg people to come. Just like you would have to beg people to invest in the stock market in 1929. The decade of doing whatever you want, of partying, of dreaming is over and the consequences are severe. In the 1920's people had dreams of making million, Gatsby had Daisy. People could no see reality because the green light was to bright and it just said go, chase your dream, don't worry you'll get it, do what you want. By the end of the decade people woke up from an amazing party with a bad hangover. The whole decade was a chase for wealth the shallow illusion that people thought would bring them happiness failed miserably.

     The 1920's changed America forever because the industrial age brought upon the class system that the declaration of independence avoided. People chased wealth to become a higher class than others. We have the  prime example of Tom Buchanan and Mr. Wilson. Or the inequality of the wealth during the period where you had millionaires and many poor people with a low GDP per capita of $2000. Worst part is the system has not changed today and it is the same thing, and always will be, always no matter what anyone says.

   The Great Gatsby dies and so did the Greatest decade in American history, well it seemed pretty damn fun to me!

American Dream..my ass!

                              (Austrian economics and Ron Paul predicted the Housing bubble in 2001)
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      I have been writing about this American Dream in this blog for weeks now. I have expressed how this system has evolved the dream from a spiritual attitude towards this effort of the attainment of wealth and power. I have looked at the social aspect without much of an economic perspective. This post I intended to look upon the American Dream of the industrial America Today in terms of Economics. The idea of coming to America and creating a better life has suffered greatly and this is all rooted in Economics. Economics is NOT the study of money, it greatly deals with the social shifts and the society as a whole. Considering 43 per cent of American believe that the American dream exists (Yahoo/ABC news)[12], what has happened to the 57 per cent?

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     I am a fundamental Libertarian and the reason is because BOTH Republicans and Democrats are a corporate bitch that will avoid fundamental economic reasoning as soon as they are promised a financial bonus. And American government and big business is the reason 57 per cent of American have realized the American Dream is as bullshit as the WMD's in Iraq, Patriot Act, or especially the biggest criminal in history, the Federal Reserve. They are the reason why 1.3 million hard-working American's have yet to recover their jobs since the downturn in 2008(The Telegraph)[13]. They are the reason over four million of American's were left without a home and for the millions that had to resort to tents. They are the reason all these people that lost their home were evicted because banks rated the mortgages triple A, all rated by financial giants like Freddie Mae and Mac. Who are we kidding we have been given a package under our Christmas tree that looks like the most amazing present, however, once we unraveled it, its just a bunch of crap, while our buddy Paulson and the other cocaine rattled Wall Street CEO's are playing in the South of France with fancy toy's off ALL our Tax money.

     But what would I do? First thing I would do is audit, and properly audit the Federal reserve, note PROPERLY, to prove the criminality and put Bernanke and other's in jail . Secondly, I would slowly abolish the Federal Reserve, since it cannot happen in one night obviously. Than printing money on call? Yeah maybe in Greece they can do that, but In my regime I would only have a commodity standard, of Gold. Look at it this way, if money has an infinite supply and a finite amount of resources that is unsustainable. Bringing a commodity standard allows us to print money according to the amount of Gold, making it a finite resource, meaning we HAVE to spend it properly. Meaning spending money on missiles that cost thousands per one or million for a military aircraft or BILLION in Wall Street bailouts is not possible. This ultimately LIMITS government, and at the same time business is not as powerful. Risks that were performed in 2008 would no longer be taken because bailouts are not a possibility so responsibility is brought back to the business environment. Also, the Federal reserve is responsible for Booms and Busts. They increase and decrease interest rates, which increases or decreases the money supply either expanding or contracting the economy. Most of the time this does not co-respond to the market. 2008 is a prime example the expansion of the money supply allowed everyone to get loans and created a bubble. Once the market woke up and broke the bubble, the federal reserve did not care because they collected billions in interest while average citizens lost their home and every other collateral asset they had attached. Point is the first thing I would do is LIMIT government and business, bring back responsibility and the market to "Free Market". Oh, and charge half the dudes in government and wall street with fraud and whatnot because I forgot the Justice system was closed during 2008.. 

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    The federal reserve and fiat money are my main concern and also because they are the most fundamental and simplest ideas to perform. There are many other economic measures. however, if you give people a system that is fair and where there money is WORTH something it is much easier to function. As of now America is bankrupt with 15 trillion in debt, once they reach 0.90 debt/GDP ratio, growth will further decrease and causing further downturns. If not fixed people will earn money but it will be worth less, we are getting robbed by the individuals we elect. The american dream is being robbed by the same men that pledge to preserve it. The state will recover one day I know it will, however, it will crash and burn the fiat system will crash and commodity standards will return. The economic perspective on wall street and Washington D.C is an illusion that is about to clash with Reality, just like Gatsby. Once it does it will die and no one will be at the funeral or there to care for the legacy because just like Gatsby the system is run by illegitimate schemes to acquire wealth and everything is a lie hidden behind a nice view.
 



   

Letting go of the past

   
       Chapter 7, is like 2012, the American Dream is over....Kidding! Well, not really, but it has become like promising your parent's you'll step up in school and your 18 and still have a C average. In other words, the idea or promise is there but people don't believe it. Just like in the Novel, Gatsby holds on to the dream till his death, but Nick realizes the love for Gatsby and Daisy is over. In this chapter, we witness the big-get Tom Buchanan exposes Gatsby about his illegal business, lies about Oxford and mock his phrase, "Old Sport". At the same time, the remarks make Daisy realize her man is Tom, even though the act is anything but brave. Daisy, had been coming over to Gatsby's causing him to stop parties and fire all his servants so the word does not spread. During the confrontation, Gatsby seeks Daisy's love and re-assure him by making her tell him in front of Tom that she loves him not Tom. She is reluctant and avoids the statement by saying she loved both. This is all bullshit, Daisy was not given the princess attention by Tom as he got bored of her presumably since he was with Myrtle. Daisy, fell the feelings of the past, but she wasn't that young school girl, she was a bit more clever now. Now she had the right last name, postal code, husband with the right power, she had it all. She could not give that away for a new money fool, who wears pink suits. Tom is even sure enough to let both Daisy and Gatsby to drive home together.

     Gatsby is first witnessed in the novel, when he reaches out for a green light. As we know now that light is the American dream. However, as he chased the dream, with all the parties, clothes, cars, money, Oxford, Gatsby is still left stranded alone on the lawn of Daisy's home. As he creeps through the window watching Tom eat dinner with Daisy. She has made her choice, even Gatsby fails to realize it. Gatsby has an issue with letting the past go, besides his past when he was a poor boy in the west. This point is illustrated in the smallest of lessons. For example, as summer is complete and the fall winds enter, Gatsby still keeps the pool going to swim. Perhaps, he does not want summer to go away because it was the summer he got to kiss and see his love for the first time in years. However, not letting go of the past is what kills Gatsby. Taking the blame for Daisy, and ironically getting shot by Mr.Wilson, in his pool (Ironic eh, maybe he should have just emptied that pool after all...)

The Reunion

(This video is in regards to the class divide that was supposed to not exist in America.)
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     In chapter 5, Daisy and Gatsby re-unite and reconnect, however, will Daisy match to the expectation's of Gatsby? Daisy is the American dream for Gatsby, even after all the attained wealth, nice shirts from Europe Gatsby still does not have Daisy and as he came up from rags to riches in hopes for this girl he has envisioned her better and better each day. It is ironic because Gatsby lives a lie, a lie that he has said so many times that he believes it is true. And I believe the same has applied in regards Daisy. Gatsby, has exaggerated the truth, that even if she is a nice girl, she will not be as nice as she is in his head. This is lesson we should all take. We chase this American dream, everyday, hustling are ass' off and we envision this dream that we will have that perfect job, that perfect wife and home. Put it this way we all have had those nights where we envision it to be perfect, amazing and what not. However, our hopes are so high, that at the end of the night we return home disappointed. The same applies to the American dream. We have prioritized it so high and envisioned it to be so amazing, that for the one's that do achieve it, they look at them selves and are pissed off. Like this is it!!! We got ripped off, all that work for what!?  Gatsby, has placed his American dream above the clouds, and has fell so over heels for Daisy that he has lost sense with the cold reality. One thing we know about reality, it takes the American dream and kicks it right in the face. Well have to see how this plays out, but its just a designed crash course, in my opinion.

    Another important thing I found in chapter 5 is when Nick says that American's are unwilling to be peasants. I decided to research a bit and found that the idea the author intended was that due to Thomas Jefferson, a founding father, He wanted America to be different from Europe in regards to not have the feudal system of classes and casts. The land of the self improvement? I love Jefferson, but his American dream of the America he put down on paper was unrealistic and aimed to high as well. I say this because if the purposes was to avoid classes, than the American system has failed miserably. In the novel, we are exposed to the Valley of Ashes where Mr.Wilson lives in poverty, essentially in a dump, where a rich man takes his wife every weekend. Than were exposed to the class battle between even the riches, of west and east egg. The American system has carried the ideas of the Europeans of class well into the western world not by choice but by human nature. How could you have a system of self improvement if every man is on the same level, one man has to be better than the other for another to self-improve to be even better, its the dog eat dog world we live in.

1920-2012

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  As I took the late night 35 Jane bus home from an 8 hour shift of busting my ass for minimum wage, realizing  how much I love school, I sat on the bus looking out the poorly cleaned windows and just started thinking. (This post is going to relate to the world we live in and the theme of the American Dream in the novel.) So anyways, I started to think how much I actually love work. I love returning home, tired, seeking to retire in my bed, that appreciation for my bed that has escalated after an 8 hour shift. I even started to think if I didn`t work id be bored out of my mind, I dont remember not having a job since 12. And this just struck me, holy shit the American Dream has shifted. It began as this spiritual idea of freedom, liberty. A beautiful idea, in fact, engraved in the constitution, and even the Statue of Liberty. This fueled the shift, as well as when American became wealthier, that Liberty and freedom with a bit of hard work allows individuals to prosper and become whatever they want! Well, you can't be a doctor if smoking dope all day is your idea of hard work, but you get the point. But the idea of becoming successful to better your life and family was amazing, even if it meant to pursue money, because it wasn't about the money at all. It was just an idea, especially for immigrants who had nothing and worked in farms and now they can have safer, better jobs, and an easier job. And this just prospered America to the country it has become. However, I am not sure when the next shift occurred, however, today as I sat in my accounting class a kid a few desks away insists he wants a high paying job without doing much work even if it means cheating. Problem is millions think like this guy. We have a generation that wants to make quick money, scratch the hard work, and receive the pay checks. Either the entitlement system will fail or these kids will face cold reality. However, for the few that are brilliant, yet lazy, they are supplied with a system that has a flaw that allows them to prosper. Large business and gov't have been the fuel for the lazy yet brilliant to avoid the ethics of business and morals, but proceed into the banks, create scams that rip off people and yet for the little work they put in and the much brilliance they have to scam people, they make a killing. Like I am starting to believe in the interview for JPMORGAN they ask you can you rip off an old grandmother, and if not to please leave the room immediately. By the way, I am not saying capitalism is bad, in fact, I love it and defend it on a daily basis.

    The year 2008, disgusts me because I hear it in every argument against Capitalism. When the banks failed in America, the non-hard working, cheating, fraudulent scums of wall street didn't get fired or put in prison, but they got a promotion, like are you fucking kidding me. Lets not mention in real capitalism they would be done, dead, over whatever,and don't worry there position and institution would be quickly absorbed and replaced. However, 2008 was the year of the economic collapse that was fueled by crony capitalism, and the idea of the new American dream. The new idea that we can get rich, the wrong way, but it doesn't require as much half work, and the pay is much better. Many people are hoping on this dream and it's going to kill the experiment of America.

    But what about the rest of us that work hard and bust are ass everyday, because that is most of the people in society. Has the American dream drifted like the gap between the rich and poor? I believe so. My generation is fighting for the opportunity that the kids of the 80's had. Economically at least. In 1984, a student can pay for university by working part-time during the summer, without a problem. It cost approx. with inflation 2 thousand dollars for a year in college in 1984, compared to 6 thousand in 2012. The problem lies that if I worked 40 hours for minimum wage for 12 weeks, I would only make $4,900, still not enough for school alone, forget books start writing on your arms and borrowing your buddy's book. So while, it is harder for the middle class to make money for school we have wall street CEO's running off with 300 million dollar bonuses, a promotion ALL ON THE FREE BY THE TAX PAYER. Fuck, I have to pay taxes for that? And than teacher's wonder why I hate mixed economies so much. It seems we have capitalism for the poor but socialism for the rich...not exactly who said this, perhaps, Chris Hedges, but the quote has stuck with me because it is so true of the new world we live in.

    I will continue to bust my ass and work hard and a climb the ladder in hopes of creating a ethical and proper business, because I don't dream to be rich, I have a dream and although its a secret, ill give a hint...its free!

Hello my name is, Gatsby.

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     They call it the american dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it -  George Carlin.

     In chapter 4, we are introduced to THE man, Gatsby. Gatsby claims to have always been wealthy through his dead rich parents inheritance, educated by oxford and proves such far fetched theories by showing a picture of him golfing in oxford. When in New York, Gatsby is caught speeding he flashes a white card and he is let off. This guy seems to be the real deal, a movie like character or maybe he is just that an actor. Gatsby, has a lunch with Meyer Wolfshiem, the man who rigged the 1919 world series. evidently a sketchy dude, the idea that Gatsby can relieve the consequences of speeding, as well as deal with a man who essentially is a criminal of such high power, makes it harder to believe Gatsby is not in some sort of illegal activity. Gatsby is an example of millions in the 1920's. This was a period of no other, where people made million, many in which run the world today. Gatsby, represents how the idea of a moral and ordered America is paused in the 1920's and people basically say screw the system. The woman wear what they want, the man as well and the business individuals do the same. Bootlegging becomes an industry that is just as powerful as any other in the 1920's. The stock market crash also was associated with many individuals over valuing the stocks and schemes to rig the system. The fraudulent 1919 world series shows another portion of criminality in sports to make a quick and  easy buck. The 1920's were the era of the birth of the progressives, ideas that have corrupted the American dream for generations after.

    The 18th century in America we had slavery, beginning of the industrial system, however, it was an infant. The American dream for most people, especially the black community was that this land was for the free. Freedom was the dream. With the Industrial revolution, consequently with so much wealth being created, the idea had shifted. The dollar sign had replaced freedom, people chase it and even today. However, Gatsby represents that exact shift. He chases money technically, only because it will help him get an image. So in theory, we all chase money but not because we want money, we want the image that money helps give us. Gatsby, although a poor man has hid it through his army uniform, through his unread books, his wild parties, his lavish cars and home, however, it is all bullshit. Gatsby his not a success story because with the progressive era and the decay of morals of society, the idea of earning wealth through hard work in not applicable because Gatsby has bootlegged to his riches, further decaying the system of capitalism, showing people will do anything for money because they'll do anything for an image.

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    As I read this novel, I feel sorry for Gatsby, he has based his whole life around Daisy. He lives where he lives because of her, he attained all the wealth for an image she would accept, he holds parties hoping she comes, he is chasing a dream. This is equivalent to even myself, I bust my ass with two jobs to make money for university, to attain a degree to just be able to KNOCK on the corporate doors to let me climb a ladder that is so well corrupted that it's sickening that I actually want to be surrounded by such bullshit for the rest of my life. However, just like Gatsby I am also chasing a dream, and I need big coin for it and unfortunately saving the world does not pay well. We all chase a dream, and were almost all suckers because we chase it everyday, and in reality only a small portion of man and woman can say they have attained it. The dream picks and chooses and it comes to us, but we do have to meet it halfway so the hard work, sleepless night and stress is necessary and the other half is luck and destiny. Gatsby, his not a selected man, he will NEVER attain his "American Dream". Daisy, sat in her roadster and military man would come by the dozens and they'd go back the same way they came. And Gatsby is just one of those man who maybe he did get a taste of the dream and it felt possible, but in reality Daisy is not going associate with him, she already has the right last name, the right address, the right friends. And ironically, in society we have the big boys who are usually the biggest assholes, just look at the dudes in 2008 who stole millions from fraudulent banks, who got a promotion. And Tom Buchanan, is a good example. However, even he is unhappy, s unhappy he has to cheat on Daisy. This shows that the NEW American Dream is so shallow that in theory in is above God, but once you are controlling it, in your own hands, its not what you expected or wanted. Simply because freedom, the ability to enjoy being able to do what you want, say what you want, enjoy life the spiritual aspects of it fuel the soul with happiness so much more than a piece of paper or a Rolls Royce.

Welcome!

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    Hello fellow bloggers, and welcome to my collection of blogs regarding my view/spin of the novel "The Great Gatsby." The purpose of my blog is to discuss the themes, ideas, and plot of Great Gatsby and spin it off with what I am thinking! With that being said I will incorporate the book with current events, since it is based in the roaring 20's, to let us look back at the past and realize how far we have come in time, but how slow we have progressed in civilization, or it can be vice versa....perhaps. I will read each chapter and post a blog, unless I feel it is more beneficial to combine chapters. I will than post what the hell I am thinking, and with that being said I will be more than glad to here what anyone else thinks, the more negative and debatable the response, the more I will enjoy to answer. At the end I will summarize my blogs and we will tackle the question: Has the American dream lost the pursuit of happiness, pursuit of freedom to work hard and keep the holy land the land of the free, or has the dream turned to who has what, materialism, and centralized around self pleasure? Because even us capitalist know the Statue of Liberty isn't holding a fiat currency up in the heaven to welcome the immigrants, the hurt, the poor, the hopeful.

nothing's what it seems.

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    Before I begin, prior to reading the book I heard of people hating the characters, and I told myself I will try to be the best devil advocate and try to like them. With that being said, roughly 10-15 pages in, I gave up on that idea because besides Gatsby and Nick, we encounter the scum of society such as Tom, woman that represent nothing of any woman a man would want such as Myrtle and  the dishonest Jordan Baker. As I read the novel, I connect to it very deeply.  I witness this fight between old money and new money, in a world where most people have
 no money. And as I read this book it sickness me how there are people busting their ass doing 16 hour shifts, 40 hour work weeks to barely pay off their expenses and just 15 minutes away from the area there are people driving in cars that could pay off my tuition fees like 5 times and than there are others who think it is a normal way of life. In the novel it is this idea of New money v.s Old money and we see it everyday in our city, just compare Rosedale and Maple. Unfortunately, it is usually old money folks who run this country and perhaps there lies the discontinuity of any connection between the average folk and a politician from Forest Hill.

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   In the novel, Tom cheats on his wife, has an affair with a woman named Myrtle and they proceed with the scandal like it is normal. Myrtles, husband, Mr.Wilson, lives in the valley of Ashes and just witnesses his wife go off with a man each weekend, knowing full well what is going on and he does nothing... Interestingly enough, the Valley of Ashes is equivalent to the character of Tom Buchanan, and that is a scum, a waste area, a dump, literally a piece of shit. The valley of Ashes represents the by product of the Capitalist system (don't get me wrong, im probably the most right wing student in my school, but even I know everything has an opportunity cost). The way Tom can go and take Myrtle is kind of similar the way the rich take so much from the middle class. If they want lower taxes and less public education funds in order for that to happen, a lobbyist just has to make a phone call. Similar to that of how when Tom wants Myrtle, she is just a phone call away.

   The novel, is titled "The Great Gatsby", so where is this great man. We have witnessed his marvelous home, filled with feasts, a Rolls Royce, free moving liquor but the main character is a mystery. Although he appears he is still a mystery because we do not know about him. However, in the chapter we meet a character named OWL EYES, who is just chilling at the library, filled with hundreds of books, classy eh. Too bad none of them are read. So on the cover Gatsby looks like he has that class, significance, not to mention wealth because literature wasn't cheap in the 20's, yet the dude hasn't cracked a page, just like he hasn't cracked a truth about his life/past. This symbolizes, how perhaps this man is the amazing man on paper, but his character lacks the depth of the image he upholds. Or perhaps, he just doesn't like reading ... Make me wonder, what is this guy about, what's he chasing?