You'd like more people to recognise what you do is special. But I take the attitude that the best thing I can do for my sport is to be the best at it. The best way people will come to recognise that track and field is a great sport is to see athletes excelling at it. Which is what I intend to do.
Americans have so far put up with inequality because they felt they could change their status. They didn't mind others being rich as long as they had a path to move up as well. The American Dream is all about social mobility in a sense - the idea that anyone can make it.