Americans are raised from birth to play a prominent role in our national identity. That role is the rugged individualist. You know the fellow.

Conquered the west, created a capitalist commerce based economy that is the envy of the world, suffers pain and even humiliation in quiet dignity. Quite a fellow that guy. Of course even the most ingrained can see that some of their fellow individualists are slipping. They have lost their identity to a growing consumer economy. Their children look and act pretty much like everyone else's children. Their jobs and cars and vacations are mundane and humdrum. But not he, the true rugged individualist. True, his car may look a lot like someone else's and his kids are getting C's in courses that probably won't get them into Princeton, but by his Christian God, he still has plenty of ways
to stand out.

In today's world economy, it takes a lot of individualists to buy all the stuff pouring out of China. It also takes a lot of them to buy Ford, Chevy, and Dodge SUV's, so it behoves the producers of all those goods to ensure that their products appeal to that rugged fellow. Thus we have beach towels, t'shirts, and pork loin all at the local Super Wal'Mart in a dizzying variety of three and even four colors and/or flavors. Plenty of ways to express your rugged self there!

But wait! You can drop $250K on a brand new home and have four or even five different floor plans to choose from. You can also select faux brick or aluminium siding as well as composite or shake shingles. No chance of getting lost in the crowd in your subdivision.

And let us not forget our second major purchase, the automobile. Here, the variety is virtually endless. Current trends for the past fifteen years or so have been towards SUV's. Yes, they are thirsty, awkward, difficult to park, and hugely expensive, but to the rugged individualist, the reward is clear. Why, just walk around the parking lot of that Super Center Wally World. You should have no trouble at all picking out the true individualist four'wheeler! It's either red or silver, or dark green. It towers over the common masses and has huge chrome wheels. True there may be one or two similar ones out there but we can pick Mr. Rugged out, I'm
sure.

Well, enough gentle sarcasm. You see where I am going with this. And if you accept my premise, it all seems pretty cynical and even dismal. Sorry sport, but it gets worse. That same world economy that thinks of you as a percentage of market share also views you as a very malleable but necessary commodity called labor. Labor is a necessary expense to produce all those products that will be sold to those individualists. When all the consumers and all the labor coexisted in the same pool, things were simple and even fair for the most part. Trouble is, the labor pool has moved. Far, far away, where the labor is much cheaper and thus allows for more profit. All of this is as evident as the nose on your rugged mug.

What was not so apparent at first but is becoming clearer every day is that a corporate entity that reduces human beings to market share and production cost has no conscience and thus no concern for those human beings. Quite the contrary, as General Motors and Delta Airlines are telling us right now, those miserable humans with their ailments and health needs are far too expensive to allow for a reasonable profit margin. Get it? The human element is too damned expensive!

So, what are we expensive'to'operate'production'cost'factors to do? Essentially, nothing. There is nothing to be done. Those who would and could protect us are instead the ones who gain the most by our situation. Eventually, ours like all civilizations will fail and someone will pick up the shards and begin again.

In a way, rather than being angered and saddened by the situation, we should revel in the fact that we will be among the last to get at least a small piece of the good life out of this particular civilization. Those who built it for us didn't get as much out of it as they thought they would and those who follow us will certainly never get much good from it. And as the last poor bastard loses his ass, the eternal winners will still be on top of the heap, insulated from your misfortune and the slings and arrows of everyday existence. Insulated by the power, money, and influence that is always theirs at the top of the dunghill.

Smile bravely rugged individualist! Gaze proudly into the setting sun with your craggy worn brow shadowed and highlighted by the flames of empire. You, oh rugged one, are certainly not at all like the masses.