African man visits cousin living the ‘American Dream,’ ends up listing reasons why his life back home is better

The American Dream has been a longing for many over the decades, but of late, it’s been reduced to just what the name suggests — a dream. A North African man who goes by u/Such-Wallaby2478 on Reddit had always thought of his U.S. cousin as "doing better" than the rest of them back home, since America is largely associated with a greater lifestyle and opportunities. However, upon landing in the States, he was surprised to find his cousin struggling to keep his dream alive while staying afloat. On December 27, he took to Reddit to share his insight.

The man made it clear that he didn’t want to put any country down and that the U.S. is undoubtedly more developed in many metrics. It was probably the reason why his extended family had moved there to begin with. “My cousin was born and raised there, and he always flexed on me like he’s living some American dream, especially on social media, and the times we call each other,” he wrote. From the picture painted, it was easy to believe that life must be great across the globe. “All the family considered him the successful guy (including me). You know that feeling when you live in a small town, and your cousin is in a giant city with big salaries and opportunities, so you automatically think his life is 100x better. That was me,” he confessed.

We build our own theories when we’re the third person in the picture because there’s a lot we’re not exposed to, and for this guy, it was similar. “I was shocked. I actually live better than he does. Like in every single way. My house back home is bigger and nicer and cleaner,”  he remarked. But his home was not the only thing he noticed. Several other factors began to surface, and the man soon realized the situation was far more dire than he thought.

Right from work-life balance and quality of life to community and relationships, he noted how North Africa was a better fit for him. “I have a job that is actually peaceful, and I get days off and time to travel. I dress better. I eat better food. More education. I actually have a life,” he added. Unfortunately, for his cousin, while he was living the American Dream, it came with a cost. “His life looked more like stress, loans, car payments, rent that is insane, no time for anything,” the post revealed.

The American Dream is slowly turning into a myth, according to U.S. adults, per Axios. A poll conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago via the Wall Street Journal revealed that only 31% people still believe the American dream to be true. Out of the remaining 70%, 46% said that while it used to be possible at one time, it is no longer as brilliant as it used to be. Right from livings costs, jobs, and quality of life to mental health, overall healthcare, and more, many revealed they were very concerned about what their futures could look like in the States. While this rich nation seemed to have everything, it all felt like a big chaos that was too loud, too draining, and uneasy.

“I was there only a few days, and I felt like I needed a break from how fast and heavy the energy is,” the man said. He acknowledged that his own country, too, has its flaws, but not at the expense of living life. “I’m not saying everything is perfect where I live. Not at all. But for the first time, I don’t feel ‘behind’ because I’m not in,” he wrote. And the internet agrees. u/im_joe said, “Ahh, he's truly living the ‘American Dream’: Work until you are dead and die with soul-crushing debt.” u/pythiadelphine added, “I am so glad you realized what you have. As an American, it's depressing to meet so many who think we have dream lives... we really don't.” 

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