Is hard work still enough in 2025 in America? 🇺🇸🔥

My take: Hard work still matters, but it’s no longer a guarantee. With rising costs, stagnant wages, and fewer safety nets, effort alone doesn’t always lead to success. Timing, access, and support play a bigger role than ever.

What do YOU think?

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dancingtongue · 80-89, M

It always has taken a village, imho. But current societies appear to have become so focused on "I" alone, that the village of supporters has shrunk as we as a nation have grown. I grew up in an era when the Westerns tended to glorify the strong, silent hero who saves everyone. But it was against a backdrop where communities were coming together for barn-raisings, mom and pop stores on Main Street dominated the economy, large corporations were rare and frequently the villain. The idea of rugged individualism was within a context of mutual, community support. That context has been lost, imho.