According to an American Psychological Association survey about stress levels and the main sources of stress for Americans, the most common source of stress was "the future of our nation" (63%), followed by money (62%) and work (61%). It is not a coincidence that the future of our country, money, and work are stressing out this country- not to mention stretching us thin.
Work stresses out most Americans, yet we have little to no dialogue around reforming the way we work. Our approach to work has been different shades of the same color, with talks about productivity, workers' rights, wage increases, and recent developments around virtual work and automation.
Sure, these are important issues, but the entire way we approach work and its role in our lives (individually and collectively) is still heavily based on old ideas that no longer suit our needs.
As such, we must redefine what work is. This involves looking at our history, how it relates to the inequalities and lack of opportunity that exist in work today, and finally constructing a new employee-centered model of work driven by purpose, well-being, and time.
This new model of work pushes back against the nation's obsession with The American Dream, which is flawed and no longer suitable as an approach to work. This dream places the onus of success, opportunity, and fulfillment on individual workers, with a theme that says hard work can get you wherever you want to go.
Instead, NEW AMERICAN DREAM argues for a culture of work that emphasizes individual purpose over a culture of work that sacrifices our time, health, money, and opportunities.
NEW AMERICAN DREAM explains why we need to shift away from this illusory ideal of hard work and success, an ideal stoked in unhealthy individualism, a sacrificial work ethic, success based on societal expectations, meritocracy, an economy centered around growth, and much more.
Addressing these issues and constructing a culture of work that prioritizes workers, lays at the heart of many of the systemic issues and inequalities the country is faced with today.
This book is for anyone interested in America's cultural identity and exploring solutions to the way we work that are vital to our nation's well-being.
