Screwtape and the American Dream

I'm not sure what I think about Screwtape's idea of democracy. Well, the ideas that the book conveys that may apply to the way we think of our democracy.

Is it true that democracy can put everyone on an equal playing field; however, not by elevating the weak but by degrading the strong? Who is the enemy here? The people who work hard and are rewarded for it? Certainly not. That's the American Dream, that each American should have the opportunity and freedom to work hard and be able to pursue happiness (to go from being homeless to a stock broker organizing multi-million dollar deals, like in The Pursuit of Happyness), to break through the barriers of other people's prejudices against one's race, creed, sex, etc. to achieve one's goals. What we are told in movies and books is that our democracy makes that Dream possible--that each individual can become exceptional with hard work (or even just luck).

But is that how it really works? The caveat in this whole idea is that it should be available to everyone . Everyone should be a millionaire if they want to; however, we all know that that's just not possible, and if it was, it would be pointless if you had no more than anyone else. So what situation does that leave us in? Is it like Screwtape describes, we begin to envy everyone who was able to make that Dream a reality when we were not? Do we wish, as Americans in general, to keep everyone at a lower level in order to make ourselves all right with our own possible laziness, the times we'd rather watch television than go to an opera or read Aristotle?

In trying to not be prejudiced, have we become prejudiced against intelligence, success, morality? I'm sure most Americans would never admit that. And, if so, where does that leave people who really want to be better? Maybe we are too afraid of our own inadequacies, or maybe hate is too tempting...