I hold two observations to be true:
- The US does effectively have a caste system with big inequality (even though the vast majority of Americans still believe we are a classless society) and less dynamism than before or elsewhere (go to China, where the hustling is unbelievable).
- In the US, life is still what you make of it to a large extent and second/third/fourth chances abound. Though with a big caveat: if your parents have means (middle-class or above), you get more opportunities to fail before you find your footing.