By now, everyone is familiar of the sweeping, romanticized narrative of America as the greatest country in everything possible. It has permeated the air waves and swallowed up zillions of pixels on the Internet. But the numbers reflect something more sobering. Just a few days ago, a perturbing Harvard Business School survey showed how Americans perceive the level of income inequality to be fairly balanced in our country-- when in reality, the scale is unhealthily lopsided in favor of the top 20% wealthiest. How so many American have come to believe themselves as far more equal in society than we actually are raises a multitude of questions. Is it because we have such faith in the laissez-faire model that we’re wholly blind to the size and power of corporate giants or banks? Or have we just managed to delude ourselves into thinking we have achieved a higher standard of living thank to the rampant expansion of consumer credit doubled with an influx of cheap products?

 This study is coming out at a particularly relevant time when an increasing number of states (Ohio, Indiana) have attempted to follow Wisconsin's model of union busting-- and may very well be successful because of popular support they have garnered from Tea-Party groups. These Tea Partiers are largely composed of people from the middle-class group-- the same people who seem to be unaware that such a disparity in income equality exists.

 For example, another recent poll indicates that nearly a third of those making less than $30k per household are aiming to vote for a Republican presidential candidate in 2012. The poll doesn’t indicate whether their primary alliances lie with social or fiscal issues, but in this economy, it seems safe to say that people’s desire to see the economy get better trumps all else—especially for those in the bottom third tier.

 The GOP is the “pro-business” party, but since they obviously can’t tout themselves as pro “big business”, they have to refocus instead on their pro small business narrative. And only through this narrative are they able to lead ordinary middle-class Americans to identify more with a party of “pro-business” interests. This also seems to be a fantasy notion of America as well, seeing as how not everyone can be a small-business owner. After all, that’s why corporate giants are in existence. It’s an appealing fantasy however, and hearing it repeated over and over again seems to increase their confidence in reaching this goal—even if it remains just as unlikely.

 From this, a curious dichotomy is created when people are ingrained with the idea that they’re simultaneously Main Street folks, and yet—well off enough to care about tax breaks for the top 2% wealthiest? There must be some existing connection between these two ideas. Some may feel that they’re a hop, skip and a stone’s throw away from reaching the top 2%, which is perhaps why reactions have been so vociferous against Obama’s previous proposed tax increases. After all, when you think you’re close to reaching the top, you’re far more motivated in furthering yourself. Others less wide-eyed may simply feel that because they’re in the 2^nd 20% bracket, they’re generally closer to the top 20%, and don’t want to present any problems for themselves in the future. In reality, both these groups are actually still eons away. It is also perhaps this misguided perception that makes them feel much more distant from the lower brackets who are the ones most in need of tax relief.

 But the doomsday rhetoric that tells us to fear tax increases for the wealthy only goes so far. What gives us the impression that we’re well-off to begin with is surprisingly organic. Clearly, our wages have not gone up (excluding you corporate directors and Wall Streeters reading this blog). And yet, our perceived quality of life has. And our quality of life has only gone up because the cost of living has drastically gone down. Thanks to cheaper-than-dirt imports and big-name discount stores coupled with the expansion of the consumer credit system, people are given the ability to live far beyond their means-- and thus, create the illusion that they are wealthier than they really are.

 Clearly, the numbers don’t add up. We are pumped with so much talk of nationalistic pride that we ultimately fail to properly understand our standing in society as individuals.