Solomon's American Paradox

The American dream, according to Jack Solomon's essay "Masters of Desire: The Culture of American Advertising"  has a paradox lying in between the two sides of our cultures most common desires. One one side, we all yearn for camaraderie and general acceptance. There is indeed something comforting about a general acceptance for who we are individually. On the other hand, that individuality aspires to be something bigger. We all have had that desire to stand above the crowd and be admired by all. The paradox here, is that if we were to be more outstanding than everyone else, then there would be no like-minded equals to go to at the end of the day. It seems as though in our culture, we are conditioned to chase after the next big thing. We're surrounded by fast paced media and entertainment. I have a feeling that this plays into our personal lives, and ultimately our goals. It's unfortunate to say that when we dream of success and glory, it's comparable of moving on to a more interesting and exciting trend. In that moment we forget about the importance of camaraderie, and instead we entertain a more exciting an fulfilling idea of being a higher persona. This may not be true for everyone, but it is a known mentality that does indeed say something about our culture. It's up to us to choose where our priorities lie, whether it's shooting for the stars, being down to Earth, or a happy medium. No matter who you are though, you must remember that at the end of the game the King and the Pawn end up in the same box.