The American dream is well known by Americans and foreigners from all across the world. It is somewhat like a song that is common in the ears of everyone. For Americans the dream is being rich, much different from the views of a foreigner. Foreigners from other countries combine the United States of America with words like freedom, equality, and opportunity. This results with them having hopes of wanting to establish better living styles in which they would financially be able to provide for their family and acquire better educational options. In today's society there is a distance between the originally meaning of the American dream and the reality of the modern day American dream.
What does the American dream mean?
The definition of the American dream differs from person to person. Everyone seems to have their own version or interpretation of the theme. For some, it means living in a county where you are given the potential opportunities to prosper in order to make a wealthy or reasonable living. For others, it may mean being able to have a happy family and pursue happiness.
Many even think of the American dream in negative terms or dismisses the dream “as nothing more than a cruel myth” (Kiger). For instance, journalist Patrick J. Kiger wrote an article called How the American Dream Works, in which he quotes comedian George Carlin about his comment on the American dream. George Carlin said “It's called the American dream because you have be asleep to believe it” (Kiger). Whatever someones version or interpretation of the dream may be, it is definitely not a topic in which everyone is on the same page.
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What is the origin of American dream and the modern day American dream?
In 1931, historian James Truslow Adams first popularized the concept of the American dream in his book “The Epic of America” where he describes the dream as a “ land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement…” (Kiger). However, the concept of the dream existed way before Adams. In 1630, as John Winthrop sailed with his fellow Puritan colonists to Massachusetts, he presented them his “city upon a hill” speech. He does not mention the word dream in his speech but he presents the same meaning of the concept as Adam. Furthermore in the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Thomas Jefferson mentions that those living in America are entitled “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.”
However, the meaning of the American dream has definitely changed from the time of when it was first generated. In today’s society, the meaning of the American dream has gone from working hard to make a living to finding happiness by owning materialistic items such owning a nice home and car, a well-paid job, a family including a mother, father, and perhaps a 2.5 ratio of children, and having a comfortable retirement. This version of the American dream was created during the time of the Great Depression in 1930 when people believed they could go from having nothing to being rich.
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Is it achievable?
A question that arises is whether or not the American dream will remain a dream or is it actually achievable in today's society. In the modern, growing, economy it is difficult for civilians in America to achieve the societies recent definition of the American dream. Many are not able to climb the ladder and become successful because there are things standing in their path. Today in the United States there are million of people who are unemployed or cannot get a job, thus making it difficult for them to work hard in order to make their dreams come true. There may be a few who are able to live up to the standards of the modern day American dream but there are more of those who are struggling with just wanting to make a simple living. It is not surprising that there are a few who can achieve the modern dream. What is surprising is the fact that even by achieving the dream, many are still not happy.
The standards of the modern day American dream causes a cape between the two definitions. The modern day American dream has factors standing in its way, making it difficult for people to achieve. It should be reiterated so that it is realistically achievable for civilians. If not reiterated, then changing back to the original meaning of the American dream should be brought back, in order for those living in America to achieve or come close to achieving the American dream.
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