Views of the American Dream over Various Periods - Case Study Example

Money and Success This paper analyses the different views of the American dream contrasted over different historical periods. The view seems to be influenced by the zeitgeist or the spirits of the time; which refers to the intellectual, cultural or spiritual climate that persists in a certain era. Different factors seem to come into play when it comes to the realization of the American dream. However, the fact that most of the people believe in the classic ‘from grass to grace’ type of fantasy, a lot of emphasis is put on the ability of anyone having the power to achieve the American dream if they want it bad enough. The American dream according to Stephen Cruz and his analysis of Studs Terkel’s life postulates that as a minority either because of gender or race, the only way of achieving success relies on a great scale on one’s ability to keep a low profile and by getting to know your business. The zeitgeist in 1969 was people being defined by the race or gender they were affiliated to. The Civil Rights movement had also gained prominence about this time however it did not seem to go a long way in protecting the rights of the minorities. Cruz gives a brief account of Terkel’s life from how his grandparents came to live in America to how he saw education as the only opportunity to help him get ahead in his life. Terkel studied engineering and also ventured into business during his studies. After completion of his college studies, he applied for jobs and the responses were very reassuring. This however led him to question the intent of the astronomical response. Despite it being rather obvious that his being in the ‘acceptable minority’ had a lot to do with his successful feedback responses, he chose to attribute it to his wit and intelligence. So as he made up his mind to join Proctor and Gamble, he saw the opportunity to advance himself professionally. It was only while he was there that he began to see what the motives of his being employed really were and this led to many changes in his job. The American dream as he came to realize was only attainable through success and upward mobility. Success was symbolized by his being given an office that had glass all around that allowed the rest to see him whereas their offices were made opaque wooden walls that hid them. He became the ‘visible man’. The office design and layout determined your professional rank. Terkel further attributed hard work and the ability not to consider yourself as being different as the key elements in achieving success and therefore the American dream. Other factors that he found related to the American dream as he kept moving from one company to another included the following. Firstly, he found out that according to the dream, the American business man is seen as being omnipotent and fair. He also deciphered that if you learn more, you will make it. He also realized that people have their own agenda which has nothing to do with the group they are from and that they will use it to put the other people down. Finally, his most intriguing discovery was that the minorities were as bad to other minorities just as the whites were to all the minorities. This is what the people at the top and of the white race used to divide the minorities; divide and conquer strategy. He came to the overall conclusion that the American dream is seen to be governed by fear and power but not by opportunity, education and hard work and that the higher up you are in the organization the more you lost. The dream is getting more elusive being governed by a few people’s notion of what the dream is and only a counter power is needed to change it because it cannot happen internally. The American dream according to Horatio Alger was based on the concept of the rise of anyone determined from a state of poverty to immense wealth and richness. He lived in 1832 -1899 and he portrayed his idea through his literal works. People identified with him because of the ‘rags to riches’ concept. This is because they saw hope and the ability to progress from an impoverished state to a lavish one. He tells a story of a boy called Dick who polished shoes to make ends meet. Dick did not know how to read or write but when he got the opportunity to learn through his close friend Fosdick, he seized it. His luck changed when he had accompanied his friend one day and they were on a fairy when a young boy fell overboard. Being a great swimmer, Dick jumped into the water and rescued the boy. He had not heard the proclamation the father of the boy had made to anyone who would dare jump in and rescue his son. As luck would have it, Dick, did just that. As a way of showing appreciation the boy’s father agreed to have Dick work for him at a wage of 10 dollars a week. That marked the beginning of Dick’s good fortunes; it was the opportunity he needed to advance himself. Dick held on to his old box that would serve as a reminder of the hard times he had gone through. This is a key concept in the American dream because one needs to always remember where they came from that way they work hard to never return to where they came from. With the good fortune, he took it upon him to help those he knew and had struggled with. Helping those around you; those who stuck by you during the scarce times is also a key emphasis of the American dream. It puts emphasis on the need for all to advance. It also shows the importance of cutting one’s losses in the event of losing something that was once important in order to create space for the arrival of other new things. The American dream according to Robert Frank’s analysis of Tim Blixseth’s lifestyle also puts great emphasis on the ability of a person to find their own way into the life of the rich. Frank talked about the new wealthy class who are living in this new age which he called the Gilded age representing those who acquires wealth in the last 20 years. They are said to inhabit a town in America called Richistan. Tim is a member of the 2009 new achieving social class. Tim started off as a poor boy, getting by on welfare and his having to work a part time job to make ends meet. Despite the struggles, he had a knack for business. One day as he was going through the advertisements, he saw an advertisement showing three donkeys being sold for 25$ each. He took his savings, bought them all and a few days later advertised them for sale labeling them as pack mules retailing for 75$ each; people bought them. The next in line was a piece of land which retailed for 90,000$. With his 1,000$ he put a down payment for the land and promised to get the remaining amount before the end of the week which he managed to get a buyer who paid 140,000$ for the piece of land. This was how he started his rise to success. The American dream describes the gilded age to have people who are in the overachieving social class characterized by their serial entrepreneurial tendencies and their addiction to projects; always hunting for the next big problem to solve. In this new era, the American dream is being defined by the wealthy rich being replaced by the workaholic wealthy whose success thrives on risk, re-invention and brutal hours of hard work. Tim and his wife invested in luxurious hotels and resorts for people like them to retreat to and enjoy themselves. In this context the American dream is portrayed in the sense that, only those of the Richistan class can know full well what it is their kind prefer for relaxation options. Tim therefore capitalized on this simple fact after his retiring. Finally, the people here seem to have dual identities that are conflicted between the middle class personalities; strives to lead a simple life whereby the dressing is toned down from official suits to casual khaki pants and polo shirts and between the upper class lifestyles; the hotels and resorts and their mode of travel is luxurious beyond measure. In conclusion, the American dream is therefore something that has acted to motivate an individual to achieve personal success with the stories cited going a long way to show that success is not for just for the selected few but for all those who choose to succeed. The Zeitgeist of the time influences all that determines what propels the American dream to be achieved. Works Cited Blixseth Timothy. Money and Success. Harvard Press. 2009. Print Read More