By Aleksey Bashtavenko

Academic Composition

The Calvinist religion has had a profound impact on shaping the American identity. Despite being known for its individualistic society, Americans have always valued the importance of family, which is deeply rooted in their religious beliefs. Calvinists in America believed it was their moral duty to pursue wealth not only for the benefit of society but also for their own families. This emphasis on unity with family and passing down prosperity to future generations has influenced the concept of the American Dream, often depicted as a two-story house in a suburban neighborhood with a white picket fence and a spacious backyard for children to enjoy.

However, in recent times, we can see a decline in the traditional American Dream. This is evident in the leading cities like San Francisco and New York, which are considered liberal enclaves. The rise of gender identity politics, a prominent liberal ideal, challenges the traditional family values associated with the old-fashioned American Dream. Proponents of the “woke” or “gender” ideology reject the notion that the family unit is crucial for individual well-being. Instead, they advocate for urbanization and enforce strict zoning laws that discourage people from building homes in available areas across the United States. The expectation is no longer for professionals to leave the cities, purchase homes in the suburbs, and start families. Instead, they are encouraged to remain in cities filled with diverse cultures but also challenges like overcrowded apartments, extreme wealth inequality, and issues that may not be suitable for raising families.

We can gain further insight into this reimagined American Dream by examining the expectations employers have for their employees. In the past, employers had no choice but to support employees starting families, as it was a fundamental American value. However, in today’s landscape, employers have the option to discourage this course of action to increase productivity or gain a competitive advantage. This is evident in the approach taken by modern tech giants like Google, who have built inner-city dormitories for their employees, expecting them to live and work within close proximity.

Furthermore, the tech industry’s elites are embracing the concept of transhumanism, which suggests that humanity can overcome the limitations of human nature with their assistance. They actively support gender reassignment surgery and encourage women to prioritize their careers over starting families. While this benefits the companies by expanding the labor pool and reducing labor costs, it contributes to the emergence of a new American Dream. This dream is characterized by transnational corporations exerting greater control over the economy and workers having reduced bargaining power in the marketplace. Consequently, traditional marriages become increasingly challenging due to the reshaping of gender roles, resulting in a childless society with limited time for pursuing relationships. As a consequence, American communities may come to resemble cities like San Francisco, with heightened wealth disparities and larger portions of income allocated to basic necessities.

The tech elites argue that the price for this new American Dream is worth paying. Although living spaces may be smaller and more crowded, streets may be perceived as more dangerous, and individuals may spend more time working with smaller rewards, they believe that transhumanism offers desirable outcomes. They envision a world without gender, sexism, racism (although communities may become more segregated, and liberal cities are often the most segregated), and any other forms of discrimination. The tech elite and transhumanists are comfortable with the idea of America resembling a larger version of San Francisco because they have moved away from the classical liberal premise that all individuals are equal under the law. Consequently, they see no issue with reverse discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity, and other factors as long as it benefits them. The streets of Silicon Valley and Manhattan exemplify the system that benefits these tech elites the most.