No Runny Eggs

In February, Michelle Obama visited a day care center  in Zanesville, Ohio.   While there, she  encouraged Americans to eschew careers in corporate America.   Instead, she encouraged folks to go into “helping” jobs…jobs that obviously wouldn’t pay as well but that made everyone more zen like:

"We left corporate America, which is a lot of what we’re asking young people to do," she tells the women. "Don’t go into corporate America. You know, become teachers. Work for the community. Be social workers. Be a nurse. Those are the careers that we need, and we’re encouraging our young people to do that. But if you make that choice, as we did, to move out of the money-making industry into the helping industry, then your salaries respond."

In essence, Michelle was telling America to give up on “doing your best,” “striving to achieve,” or working to better themselves. Michelle was telling America that settling for less than everything you wanted to be was OK and should be expected.

In May, as he was trying to gain the last few delegates to gain the nomination, Barack told an Oregon audience “to settle” and not expect that the life styles we have in America can continue:

“We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times …

Today, Barack Obama celebrated Father’s Day by giving an address at the Apostolic Church of God. After calling on black father’s to become active in raising their children, Barack gave some additional parenting advice:

He said parents who proudly tell him their child gets great grades, all B’s, should encourage them even more.

“All B’s? Is that the highest grade?” Obama said. “It’s great that you can get a B, but you can get a better grade. It’s great that you’ve got a job, but you can get a better job.”

Let’s see, should I settle or aspire? Should I give in or do my best? Should I just “get by” or is the possibility of the “American Dream” something that we can still pursue in America?

I’m so confused!