The American dream espouses the idea that no matter who you are, if you work hard enough or are innovative enough you can achieve almost anything you desire. Ever-higher-paying jobs are central to this construct. We expect to start our careers, earn more over time, and hopefully at the same time outrun rising prices. If we are lucky enough to have bought assets, the rising prices of those assets, because of inflation, creates longer-term wealth. If we leverage those assets by adding debt, our return is even greater because the asset increases in value while the dollars that we pay back in debt are priced in today’s dollars—and with inflation, and growth in our incomes due to the inflation, we pay back the debt tomorrow in dollars that are worth less.

-Jeff Booth , "The Price of Tomorrow"

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the term american dream can only be used ironically today

What is our European dream Ralf?

we call it sozialer aufstieg (social rise) in germany, which is the same bs nowadays

Unfortunately the times of „just work hard enough and you can achieve anything“ are over. Either you are exceptionally good in your job to ask for any salary or you grind the risky fiat game. Everybody else is getting debased.

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The bad thing is that nobody has the slightest idea that they are being debased like hell…

Sad but true, except Bitcoiners

This is very true.

I took some huge financial risks in my 20's & early 30s.

I had some windfalls and I had some mammoth losses. I learned a lot.

There is just no way I could take the same risks today.

Todays market structures are different. Wedges and housing are no longer in balance and the interest rates are back to where they were in 2007era.

I do feel bad for anyone 20+ years my junior.

me too, the future for the young people will be tough

I didn't see the Jeff booth quote at the bottom until I was done reading, and I had been thinking as I read...

man. This is very well thought out.