The Atlantic has a piece up right now about the Amerian Dream, and what it means today, and how it means differnet things to different people.

What is your definition of the American dream? Does it still revolve around the accumulation of stuff?

Don’t get me wrong. I like stuff. I am typing this on a new iPad Mini, I have a new iPhone, I am hoping for a new lens soon and you never know if one of the–yeah, one of the–computers might die. But we drive basic cars, don’t own a motorcycle, and our house isn’t too big.

I am in maintain mode now and forever. Beyond traveling and seeing more of the country and the world, I don’t need any “more.”  

What do I think the American dream should be?  

I would like a country where NO ONE has to worry about health care.  No insurance, just good, solid basic health care.  I would like everyone to have food to eat.  Not to little, not to much, and no waste.  I would like everyone to have a roof over their heads, not to little not to big.

I would like everyone, and I mean everyone, to have a premium education.  

And I want everyone to be able to acheive even more as they work a job–not a job that is a some pointless work just to exist and pay a bill job, but something meaninful to them.  If that means they don’t make much more in terms of $$, fine, if they do make more, even better.  But the basics will be covered either way, with no differences just cause you have a billion in the bank.

Lastly, I want us to have a national goal.  If it were me, I would say that goal should be to convert to 100% clean energy in 20years, have a permanent base on the moon in 25, and a base on Mars in 30.  We should have a manned misson to the outer solar system in 50.  

Think of how many people we could employ, of how many American Dreams we could foster, with that sort of goal.