Dream or Rat-Race:
Success in the 20th Century
Success is a Bitch-Goddess, Nature is Amoral, Sorrow is the World, All Must Suffer
Success Failures: heart-attacks, alcoholism, stress diseases, divorce, abuse, debt
success is a constant mindless search for false security - 30 Million citizens stuck in a lower-class caste
Teddy Roosevelt - established National Parks, progressive social reforms
Woodrow Wilson attacked trusts and monopolies
Franklin Roosevelt - New Deal - Social Security
Fitzgerald - Great Gatsby
Faulkner - Absalom
1927 Sorokin - Social Mobility
1930 Max Weber - Protestant Ethic and Capitalist Spirit
1959 Bendix & Lipset - Social Mobility in Industrial Society
AW Griswold - American Cult of Success
1960s - Civil Rights - racism, sexism, bigotry vs equality - normal convention vs special different
better education and opportunity
Dick & Janes Series for children- “getting along with each-other”
Ambivalence between - economic productivity achievement compete win vs being yourself no matter your talent
Positive mindset / hard work
Peace of mind / material success
Personal Joy / Upward Mobility
Mind Matter / Material Matter
Imagination, creative visualization, meditation, prayer, faith, belief, subconscious, transcendental, magic
Napoleon Hill - Desire to have money, and you will manifest it. “I need $1,000!” repeat
Weakness of inferiority complex can result in failure
Mass acceptance of business world vs hippies
Happiness is true success = Mental Spirit & Physical Material well-being balance
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Power of Positive Thinking
How to Win Friends, and Influence People
wishful thinking
Social Sciences study Success
All the World's a Stage - The Play must go on!
status - chaos - competition
Competition should be subordinate to Cooperation - competition can be used to debate decisions, or who can help others the most
Groups should determine standards and goals regarding social interaction
“Sometimes you have to sleep with the Devil”
“It is all in the mind.”
Cooley - Seek a better way to improve society.
Gradual redefinition of success standards in accordance with a broader, more rational, and humane view of the possibilities of life.
Masters and Captives of Illusion
Hippy Punks - Psychedelic Warriors
live within limits
skeptics and critics
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