America’s constantly changing social orders are not for the faint of heart. Our beautiful country seems to pulsate with a silent, but subversive, inclination towards classism. Many would be quick to say we’re a society built upon the premise of equality, where “all men are created equal”, an irony in and of itself.
Our country is interesting because of our diversities; diversities of language, of beliefs, of ethnicities, and of so much more. But, no line distinguishes its people more than economics. In our capitalistic society, we live by the golden rule; “He who has all the gold makes all the rules.” In this soft, but harsh, understanding America is an undeclared cast system. People are divided by their socio-economic standing, and their realities are predicated upon this single factor. The first cast, sorry, I meant class consists of the powerful and elite wealth holders which control a huge portion of the country’s wealth. The second class is the middle class, which consists of the professionals, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and upper earning blue-collar workers. Then there is the lower class, which consists of those that are at or below the poverty line in our country.
I’m not writing to criticize this understandable reality. I’m not writing to judge whether classism is right or wrong. I’m writing to highlight the possibility we’re all living under the “Illusion of Inclusion.” These lines that we accept, in America, as delineations of class or position in society are not as black and white as we may currently perceive. People slide up and down the income scale, and therefore, many slide through the classes in our country. Interestingly, the sliding largely occurs in the upper-middle and true middle class margins.
The top 1% of American wealth holders control over 42% of the country’s total wealth, and each person included in this exclusive group earns an average annual income of $380,000. To put that 1% in its proper perspective, this means 1 out of every one thousand people in our country make up the “Upper Class.” This also means the other 999 out of 1000 well-meaning, hard-working, and ambitious American citizens are often chasing one of that 1% with the hopes of attaining their status or position in society. This is what I like to call the “Carrot Effect.” Many get baited into a futile pursuit of inclusion into this very small percentage of wealth holders in the country.
Unfortunately, we must consider something. Many people, that once made substantial livings, have now been forced into a different class because of the loss of employment and former income. It’s a curious phenomenon in America sweeping through the lower two classes. Many are slow to recognize or embrace the truth staring us all in the faces. Jobs are not what they used to be, and they rarely did in the past, but now they certainly don’t lead to riches in most cases. I’m going to go as far as this to say you’d be more apt to slide into poverty servicing a job than coming to know riches. It may prove to be most harmful to believe you’ve got nothing to worry about because you earn $80,000 annually. Honestly, most households in America live at the top of their income margin, making them and their families vulnerable to financial ruin.
According to the Census Bureau, another 2.6 million people slipped into poverty in the United States last year, and 46.2 million people living below the poverty line, was the highest number in the 52 years the bureau has been publishing figures on it. The median income of middle-class Americans fell to levels not seen since 1996. Economists pointed to a telling statistic: “It was the first time since the Great Depression that median household income, adjusted for inflation, had not risen over such a long period”, said Lawrence Katz, an economics professor at Harvard. “This is truly a lost decade,” Mr. Katz went on to say, “We think of America as a place where every generation is doing better, but we’re looking at a period when the median family is in worse shape than it was in the late 1990s.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m now clear and sober regarding the “Illusion of Inclusion.” We may not want to continue down the path that leads to self-delusion, and we definitely may not want to sit dormant in the fantasy of security. I don’t believe the ideal of security can be perceived or understood as it was forty or fifty years ago. It’s absolutely eye-opening to confront the horrific prospect of an entire decade being lost.
Therefore, I’m not chasing any carrots being cast before me, but I’m certainly looking for a viable means to create freedom in my life. If you’re anything like me you’re ready to do the same. So, we must decide if we’re going to be rocked asleep with the lullabies of society’s happy talk. You know the language that tends to suggest you can have something for nothing; you can get rich over night, or that you can be like the elite and powerful 1% of American wealth holders without conducting any real business. I’m not in the market for someone else’s dream. I have my own! I’m almost certain if you don’t have one you could certainly come up with something meaningful for you and your family.
The focus for all the rest of us, the other 99% of our country, the 999 out of the thousand must be able to identify viable opportunities wherein we can create leverage. Trying to do business on your own power and ability alone only puts you right back into the old context of linear income. Without the power of leverage you can only earn 100% of what you can produce. Without leverage you will only realize marginal success. However, with leverage you increase your productivity exponentially. Leverage, in business, is simply the addition of others or systems to help accomplish tasks. In hiring or recruiting others to the work force you increase your capacity by up to 100%. Then by implementing the automation of systems it can have a compound effect.
Therefore, we must seek out scalable businesses that afford us the opportunity to leverage the efforts of as many others as we can partner with, to the mutual benefit of all. In creating win-win partnerships you increase the momentum and synergy of the organization or business. People simply work harder when they know there is increased value to be shared.
Some will take a disposition of indifference to this idea. Many tend to think, “I don’t want anyone benefitting off of me or my efforts.” There is only one problem with the statement; someone’s already doing so. Your boss is benefitting off of you and your efforts every day. Your spouse benefits off of you and your efforts. Your children benefit off of you and your efforts. The government benefits off of you and your efforts. It all seems so acceptable in these conventional contexts. It seems there’s only a problem when individuals are challenged to do something for themselves, where they’re more responsible for the outcomes they’ll actualize. Some, deeply misguided by their illusions of inclusion with the successful, elite, and powerful of our country may say; “I don’t need any more. I’m doing just fine.” I’m not here to debate those positions. I simply wish to ask; how long would you be just fine if you were laid off from your job? Would you contend you don’t need any more if the plug of the life support system of your job was pulled on you and your family? Would you still be okay if your industry was diluted to unprofitability?
Today you must ask yourself if you’re going to remain the self-declared victim of your circumstances, or will you take responsibility for your future? You must think if you’re willing to roll the dice on your family’s future or are you looking for something more certain. You can create the life you intend and desire, and you could begin right now. In fact, if you dare to see things as I do, you must act right now.
If you’re interested in seizing control of your future, if you’re looking for a potent and viable opportunity, if you’re ready to walk away from the 999 out of the thousand, contact me at rashiidkcoleman@4regalliving.com or 484-693-1616. I’ll be waiting for you on the other side.
