The Principle of the American Dream - Essay Example

American Dream According to Truslow Adams J. in his 1931 book ‘Epic of America’ (Smith, 241); American dream is a dream of a nation or land where life is better, fuller, and richer for everyone. The land has opportunities according to each ones achievement or ability. It is not a dream for high wages and motor cars but one of social order where every woman and every man, is able to reach the maximum stature. The stature is one they are capable, and get others recognition for who they are regardless of their position and fortuitous birth circumstance. The belief is that everyone, regardless of their social class or ‘birth right’ can achieve his or her version of success in the community where an upward mobility is likely for everyone (Smith, 241-242). This dream comes through hard work, risk taking and sacrifice, it is not by chance. Both American immigrants and Native Americans can achieve this dream. Decades ago this dream inspired many workers giving them a promise of a better life. However, without jobs, the dream becomes the unemployed nightmare who view their joblessness at personal perspective-and failure and shameful. For generations, million of Americans believed that by working hard, one can be successful, build a good family and life. Is this dream still true? Many people redefined American dream to include other aspects like meaningful relationships, freedom and fulfillment. A person who is able to achieve his or her American Dream version is ‘living the dream’ (Student Resources in Context, 6). The concept is subject to criticism because there are people who believe US society structure prevents an idealist goal for all. Critics use class inequality, ethnicity, religion and race as examples to show that American Dream is not possible for all. American Dream tenets are in the independence declaration. However, it is older than United States, dating back to 1600s. During this period, people began having all sorts of hopes and aspirations for what was unexplored and new world to European immigrants. Most of these dreams based on establishing a successful business and owning land. During the 1930s great depression, authors wrote about an idealistic American Dream (Smith, 282). Idealistic American dream disregards discrimination basing on gender, race, national origin and religion that inhibits his or her potentiality to achieve desired goals. Critics show that many dream versions associate prosperity with happiness. According to these versions, a person can be happy without necessarily being wealthy. Some people believe the dream is about fulfillment rather than owning property and economic success. For generations, American Dream powered aspirations and hopes for Americans. It began plainly though a revolutionary notion. Over years, this dream represents expectations about making money and owning things. Therefore, what is American dream exactly? Has it changed? In modern society, the dream involves owning cars, a home, and even getting better education. The many amenities that Americans take for granted motivate other people to immigrate to America. Recently, American dream refers to getting a nice job. For other it has to do with owning a home while some associate it with the poor getting rich, or powerful, or famous (Student Resources in Context, 6). The dream is becoming a myth that obscures and masks a dark reality. Middle class society is reducing and one- third of the general population currently live in poverty. There is decline in owning a home and is a debt trap for holders of underwater mortgages. Statistics show that there is only one low- paying job for every five seekers of job. Chances of success lie on the success of ones parents. People getting rich are bankers, corporate executives and those in Wall Street casinos (Smith, 321). Studies tell the tale. Sometime back, America had the highest living standards in the world. It had egalitarian wealth and income distribution, declining rates of poverty, and growing health and social statistics. However, in the past thirty years things changed rapidly. According to OECD, today the gap between the poor and the rich in America is the widest among its thirty members, except Turkey and Mexico (Smith, 369). In 2010, top 1 percent income earners, out of the total took 24 percent. Top 10 percent got nearly half-49 percent. Wealth distribution including housing and not personal furnishings, cars, and clothes, was skewed. Top 1 percent owned 38 percent while the top 20 percent owned 87 percent. The remaining wealth shared among the rest 80 percent population. CEO salaries give a measure of the radical changes of time. In 1950, 500 fortune CEOs earned 20 times more than any average employee did. Presently it is 320 times more. Without measuring benefits, salaries of CEOs have ballooned to $ 11.4 million on average, while employee’s wages have declined. The wide wealth and income disparity results to a country marked by growing Affluence Island surrounded by poverty. There are about 25 million employees underemployed or unemployed. This does not include millions of youths never employed and cannot get jobs. In addition, 47.3 of the employed earn below $25, 000 annually. This is close to the poverty line for a family of four of $ 22, 343. About 50 million low-income earners in America in 2011 used food stamps. Majority are the working poor, the elderly, or children. Over 49 million Americans do not have health insurance. Americans accrue many debts as many people use credit cards for goods purchasing. Sustaining American dream is an expensive endeavor. People strive for lives such as the ones on television. The televised lives are unrealistic and extravagant in such times (Student Resources in Context, 6). Saving became unnecessary, as the dream is bought on credit. The 21st century mortgage crisis led to lose of life, which people worked hard to achieve. Reviewing president Obama’s inaugural speech, he spoke of reversing the dream. His reference was to the many people losing homes (Smith, 427). According to Obama, young people do not believe they can have good lives as compared to their parents. Nevertheless, the dream appears to be alive, the problem might be people understanding it in the modern time. Many people feel that the dream is something only few can achieve. This includes the excessive materialistic wealth like those of movie stars and professional athletes. Owning land, home is not a dream anymore. Even achieving good life is not a dream. Instead, people struggle to own large homes, expensive cars, stylish clothes, and other materialistic things. Using these definitions, then only few people can achieve American dream. It is hard to view American dream under the new definitions. Due to recession, many people struggle to feed their families. Moreover, good amenities and schools seem attainable for the wealthy. It is important for Americans to prioritize their needs since it is difficult to achieve much of what they had because of the economic challenges. According to young people, it is therefore difficult to do better than their parents are (Smith, 523). Contradiction in the belief that the dream is not possible currently is that Americans have more presently than what they have ever owned before. People are afraid that the dream is dead because of the change in the concept. This is from everyone improving his or her lives by working hard to the idea every person can be a millionaire virtually without working (Student Resources in Context, 6). As conceived back in the days, the dream is possible. Critic’s ideas are valid. The economic and social challenges affect the American dream. Economic and social disparity also makes it difficult for people to achieve their dreams. However, the foundation of the formation of the American dream appears forgotten. People can achieve and grow in particular situation. Not everyone has to be wealthy. It is not necessary that young people have to be better than their parents are. The dream should thrive in different socio-economic challenges. Shift from institutions to individuals puts the dream at risk. Young people appear more unrealistic and cynical. People are defining the dream more personally. To this extent, personal fulfillment drives the dream (Student Resources in Context, 6). However, it is important that the government and the institutions work hard to mitigate major challenges such as health and insurance. Americans have to strive and keep their dreams alive. Work Cited Student Resources in Context. "How the American Dream Has Changed Over Time." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, Cengage Learning, 2011.web Smith, H. Who Stole the American Dream? New York: Random House Publishing Group, 2012 Read More