Politics don’t just shape our laws; they mold and reinforce society’s norms and values.
In America, those norms have always been deeply rooted in the binary of oppression and freedom.
Every society needs an “other” to survive. In America, that “other” has become anyone who doesn’t—or can’t—participate fully in the free market and become economically independent.
The American ideal is to look like society is moving forward, to present an image of progressive justice and equality, while still maintaining its founding quality: exclusionary freedom. Isolation and anger are inherent in this system, and have reached new levels of exasperation in recent years.
No matter who the president is, the American system remains intact. It has a name—neoliberalism—and it governs everything we do.
What Is Neoliberalism?
Neoliberalism operates under a simple but powerful myth:
“White, Black, gay, straight—it doesn’t matter! You all have the ability to be successful and happy human beings! All you gotta do is work hard, make money, and the world is your oyster!”
Sounds great, right? A true meritocracy. But it’s a just a story, and it’s one that keeps us in check. Neoliberalism is more than an economic policy—it’s an ideology that prioritizes free markets, privatization, and individual responsibility over collective well-being. Emerging after WWII and gaining momentum in the 1980s under leaders like Reagan and Thatcher, it frames everything — success, morality, and even basic rights —around economic participation.
Rights Are For Sale
Since the post-WWII era, neoliberalism has built an economic and social order that places wealth at the core of all values. The trick is making it seem like everyone has access to that wealth, while ensuring that access remains limited.
Think about the rights we consider fundamental:
- Healthcare (living longer)
- Leisure time (freedom from constant labor)
- Education (mobility, access to knowledge)
- Quality Legal Representation (criminal justice leniency)
- Property ownership (wealth-building)
- Societal influence (political and economic power)
In America, these rights aren’t freely given—they are bought. You want a comfortable, stable life? Get a job or two! In order to travel, learn new skills, deepen your education, go to the dentist when you have a toothache, or experience the world in the 80-ish years you get – you must sacrifice the majority of your time to a job. And even then, most of those rights are not achievable.
The “Dumb” Way to Exist
In America, we equate success with money. Creativity? Meaningful work? Community well-being? Those aren’t core values. The only thing that matters is how well you function in the free market. To find the business school at any given college, just look for the most renovated building on campus. Looking for the arts school is like playing Where’s Waldo on acid – just when you think you find it – it’s gone again.
Three truths exist in neoliberal thought:
- The ideal person is the ideal corporation.
- Lots of money = success story.
- No money? You’re punished or forced to conform.
If you pursue a life that doesn’t prioritize wealth, society deems you incompetent. Full-time Volunteer? Activist? Artist? Academic? Good luck accessing basic rights like healthcare, property ownership, and personal stability. Your life is inherently less secure because you’re not engaging in the market at full capacity.
Forming Humans
Neoliberalism doesn’t just control our economy—it leaks into our lives, setting the course of our futures before we even reach adulthood. We are taught what to want.
Examples:
Child: “Mom, I wanna be an artist when I grow up!”
Mother: “Honey, no. You’ll need health insurance.”
Or:
“I wanna be a paleontologist!”
30 years later
“Yeah… I’m an accountant.”
By adulthood, childhood ambitious seem fantastical and silly. We aren’t raised to be happy, intelligent, or insightful—we are raised to be economically functional. Making money is equated with being a successful human being, even if that success comes at the cost of everything else – emotions, passions
Meanwhile, as the wealth gap grows and the economy expands, everything else—health, community, life satisfaction—declines.
Is There an Alternative?
Neoliberalism is built to sustain itself. It’s not something an individual can dismantle—it would inherently require mass action, a revolution of thought and policy. But what does an alternative look like?
Is there an option that doesn’t involve joining a small commune in Upstate New York?
I don’t know.
