The learn to code movement has popularized the idea that coding is a skill everyone can and should learn. It's the American dream: learn the desirable skill and you'll succeed financially. Those who master the skill and achieve the goals are held up as prime examples of just how easy it was. But if it was that easy, why are there so few victors encouraging hoards of hopefuls? I'll discuss the history of the American Dream, how new programming education endeavors have repackaged it, and how the lack of awareness and analysis of this privileged rhetoric is damaging our culture and workforce.