The American Dream is one of our country's greatest promises and arguably one of its greatest myths. But what is it exactly? When people speak of "the American Dream," what exactly are they referring to? Where did the idea of the American Dream come from? How did it evolve? And what does it mean today? I don't expect you to have immediate answers, but I do expect you to find legitimate answers as opposed to inventing something or relying on your own personal opinions. 
The American Dream does have two sides, however: its more objective foundation in a long tradition of American mythology and its subjective meaning to each of us as we apply that mythos to our individual lives. So what does the American Dream mean to you? What is your American Dream?
I would like to start off by explaining what the American dream means to me and what my actual dream is. I am a realist, so obviously what my dream is will not be the reality of what I think the actual dream is.
ReplyDeleteIt's a metaphor for how I ideally wish things to be. A lovely utopia behind a white picket fence. (No, not quite like the movie Pleasantville because that would be just creepy.)
My American dream is for my family and myself to never go without anything, and to see my neighbors and friends flourish as well. Should I throw in a side of peace with no war or famine? You bet!
Aside from survival and materialistic needs, the biggest perk of my dream is fulfillment in every aspect,from spirituality to health and to happiness. I don't think this is too much to expect. However, the brutal truth of expectations is to not expect anything at all, that way no one gets let down. I think Spock summed it up beautifully when he said, "Live long and prosper.".
When people speak of the American dream what do they mean? In my opinion there is a general consensus about the American Dream.
This consensus is that we are the land of opportunity and a place for a better life.
It comes from our forefathers with the ideal that all men are created equal. Our Pledge of Allegiance references it.... "with liberty and justice for all".
History shows that people have immigrated from all over the world to come to America in search of their dreams. Example, after the Great Potato famine in Ireland, immigration numbers to America increased.
People needed to make a living and immigrants built our railroads. There was also the California gold rush for those with their head in the clouds. Let's not forget the mad dash for land that was "ripe" for the pickin'.
(Just don't ask the natives about that).
The rest of the dream is very much subjective. While one person may be a total success story, another person may have fallen on hard times. It seems that usually the later is the case. Hard as life was for many, if we look deeper into our history as a nation, the evolution of this dream is in a constant state of change. This supports the idea of this dream is still very much alive.
There were many pioneers who supported this dream and helped it to evolve. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of them. He supported The Poor People's Campaign in 1968, to stop hostility to the poor.
There are definitely two sides of the coin to the American dream. The myth is that there isn't always going to be a white picket fence. However, the other side of the coin is that we are free to pursue to our heart's content.
What is the American Dream? To me the American dream is the notion that one can become anything they want to and achieve anything they want. I believe other Americans would agree with me that the American dream could mean a number of things. For instance, the American dream in the earlier years of this country was the notion of a new beginning, a clean slate so to speak. As our country progressed we realized that this nation was fresh with wealth so then the American dream was a get rich quick sort of feeling. This could be felt during the migration west, the great gold rush, and the oil rush. The get rich quick theme I think could also be applied with portions of peoples idea of the American dream, be it the lottery, sweep stakes winnings, inheritance, or some sort of quick capital gain. However, the chance to start over again does not apply to Americans today as it would immigrants who come to the U.S. today; therefore, the American dream only applies to select few. In todays economic some would think of the American dream as just plain being financially stable. I think this is sad because this country was built on dreams and that’s what made us so great. Now dreams of just getting by have tarnished our ability to be progressive. The American dream is supposed to be great, when I think of the American dream, I dream that all my hard work will propel me to heights I’ve never seen or thought to even exist. We see everyday someone who is better off then ourselves whether it be financially, socially, or emotionally, and to achieve the American dream would be to be the person at the top. This is just what the American dream means to me; to someone else the American dream might be a loving family and a white picket fence. That’s the beauty of the American dream; it could mean anything to any one person.
ReplyDeleteSome people think the American Dream only pertains to the wealthy people because they can get whatever they desire. I don't think that is true. Anyone one can live the American Dream, they just have to live life to the fullest and work hard for what they earn. Working hard also pays off because it makes a person cherish what they have and not what they don't have. My American Dream is to have a happy and healthy family, live out in the country with a nice house, a bunch of land, and a pond. But the American Dream will vary from person to person.
ReplyDeleteAn American dream to me is everything and nothing at all. For example a dream can be anything. A dream can be freedom if one believes in freedom. Yet I do not truly believe that we are in the land of the free. The reason for me believing that is because everywhere we go we have cameras on us. In the cowboy and indian days there was no cameras or people telling them what to do. The only way to establish youself is to own a gun, ride a horse and create a name for yourself. Also we are the dream that every other country wants to live in or be in. Only because there are jobs available and one can start a family, but in order to start a family one has to start out poor then work their way up the ladder. How is that ones dream to start poor and become rich when they can very well make a name for themselves in their own country. When people search for this “dream” in reality they really should not be searching at all. Their dream can be anywhere they want it to be. It does not have to be called the “American dream”. Since we are calling it the American dream then at times I believe that we are living in the dream now. The reason for that is because we don’t have a war where we live now. We can work and live where ever we would like. Most of us don’t have to go starving for weeks at a time, in America there are breadlines and link cards to help out people when they really need it. A dream is something that no one will ever get to because once one accomplishes their dream then its time to dream again. In that way then I think a dream is a wish. My American dream is to live a happy life, because no matter what happens I just keep my head up.
ReplyDeleteWhen people speak of “the American Dream,” I believe that they are referring to their personal dreams. Each person has their own dreams and different things that they want to have in their life and by living in America they have the chance and the freedom to chase those dreams. The idea of the American dream may have come from the original founders of our country. They had a dream of a country where everyone was able to have their own input as to what would govern them, democracy in other words. The American dream most likely began with that and has evolved as humans and America has evolved.
ReplyDeleteWhile some things are the same, there are things that people wanted in the founding years of the country are different from what people want now. Most of us still want to have a happy life and want to be successful. We want to be safe and healthy and create a family that will carry on the traditions and culture that we have developed for ourselves.
To me, the American dream means that each individual has their own dreams for their life. Because we live in America, having our own dreams is allowed and admired. Many countries prohibit this type of thing. It is a great thing to be able to have our own wants and to be able to go after those things. My American dream would be for me to be successful in school and in my future career. I also want to have the chance to start a family and get married. Once I am able to have a family, I want to be a great mother and raise my children to be successful and independent people. Most of all, I just want to be able to grow old and look back on my life with satisfaction.
What is the American Dream?
ReplyDeleteHunter Thompson was in search of the American Dream. Most Americans are in search of the American Dream. So what is the American Dream? It is a dream that Americans have to strive for success, happiness, and financial freedom.
The American Dream is a search for success by Americans. Success usually means wealth. To have the American Dream means having enough money to buy what is needed to survive and to buy almost anything an American wants. If an American wants the latest model car (whatever car company they favor), obtaining the car is part of the American Dream.
The American Dream is a search for happiness by Americans. The English music group of the 1960’s, The Beatles, searched for their dream. Their dream took them to India to see an Indian Guru. The Beatles wanted to find out what happiness was from the Guru. Americans seek their happiness in many ways. For instance: Seeking out religious experiences, of which often takes Americans to other lands. Some American go on a pilgrimage to Italy. Some go see famous speakers on spiritual topics to learn what happiness is.
The American Dream is a search for financial freedom. Financial freedom can be obtained by getting an advanced degree from a University. If an American got a doctorate and then wrote a book, the book would seem more valid with the P.H.D. title. If the book became a bestseller, the author could enjoy the sales and benefits of the publication. The American Dream would be that this would create financial success. The American Dream is sometimes sought out by other Americans by playing the lottery. The object is to win millions of dollars so that Americans could have the financial freedom that they desire.
The American Dream is a dream that Americans have to work toward and obtain success, achieve happiness, and gain financial freedom. Americans continue to seek out what the American Dream is.
The American Dream to me would be the perfect life. My American dream would be to have the perfect family, the perfect job, and to have money. The American Dream is a national belief that freedom is a promise of success and wealth. The American Dream also will change from person to person.
ReplyDeleteThe American dream is one of the most important ideas in the entirety of American culture. It would be reckless for anyone to devise some platitude about what precisely the American dream is or is not. It would be simple for us as Americans to say “the American dream is…” and then fill in the sentence with a definition in keeping with our own belief system. This is not strictly speaking THE American dream however. America is one of the most varied socio-cultural places one the planet and by necessity the American dream must be subject to broad scale variation to fulfill the wants and needs of Americans. The American dream in my own eyes is personified by one word: hope. It is the dream that even though our lives are not perfect and we rarely get what we feel like we deserve if we work hard and if we do everything that can be done in pursuit of some goal, even if just for one transient moment that goal will be achievable. It is the belief that if one works hard enough there circumstances are immaterial and everything they desire is absolutely possible. There have been dozens of examples, even in recent years after the supposed death of the American dream that Hunter S. Thompson speculated on years ago. One simple is example is our current president. Barack Obama was a mixed race child from a middle class family in Hawaii and rose all the way to the most prestigious position in American government. My personal American dream is not overly grandiose and yet may be the most difficult to grant. I want absolute freedom. I want to speak, write or feel whatever I want without having to check some unwritten tome of mores to see I have broken one or offended someone. One of my favorite quotations sums up the American dream more completely than my banal ramblings will ever be capable of. Ad astra per aspera: To the stars through adversity.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the American Dream started back when our country began. Freedom from oppression was originally what we wanted. The idea of a fresh start prompted many immigrants to move to the United States. The American Dream changed over the years to the want of success, wealth, and fame in the early nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It was all earned through hard work. The advent of “get rich quick,” however, began to erode the dream. The creation of game shows, multimillion dollar lottery prizes, and compensation lawsuits helped to destroy the dream. The Founding Fathers would be ashamed at what has happened.
ReplyDeleteThe American Dream has changed over the years, but one part remains constant; the quest for money. Rather than sticking to a traditional work ethic, far too many Americans are pinning their hopes on what they perceive as “easy” money. Right now, the Dream is probably to be financially stable in the current economy.
I believe that the American Dream now applies to only a few people, the ones who want to earn their wealth through hard work. The Dream should not just apply to money; it should apply to all areas of our life. Every day, we see someone who is more wealthy and successful than we are, sometimes through their own hard work and sometimes from status. They may have more wealth, or have a better social life. People should work hard to achieve the same success.
My American Dream is to successfully graduate college and receive a degree in my desired area of expertise, as well as becoming extremely successful in whatever my future career may be. I also want to start a family, and live peacefully with my wife and children, until I grow old. I want to be able to look back at my life and say, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” That is my dream.
Thousands of immigrants pour into the United States of America each year in search of the American Dream. Many hopefuls dream of a better life for their family and themselves while others hope to “strike it rich.” What exactly is the American Dream, though? Is it a tangible, materialistic goal? Or is it intangible? Something that only one can achieve moralistically, personally, and spiritually?
ReplyDeleteIn the nineteenth century, there had been a major influx in the waves of immigrants crossing the Atlantic Ocean. From European countries, the immigrants poured into Ellis Island. Many of these immigrants had come from the Old World, where a government surviving on aristocracy and failing monarchy reigned. These immigrants came to believe that this strict social structure was suppressing their freedoms as individuals and that in a land of freedom, promised by the central government’s Declaration of Independence to be an inalienable right, they can do better. They believed that in this land, America, destiny was in their hands—not controlled by an inaccessible monarch who simply took tax duties. People believed that aspirations where theirs to dream and success was theirs to own if they worked for it. Thus, we arrive at the original definition of the American Dream: the promise of success based on meritocracy.
For those individuals, material wealth played a small part in becoming successful, but it was not central to their Dream. For them, it was about making something of themselves, rising above their birth status, and becoming whoever they wanted to be in life. It was, largely, a spiritual journey. However, as the world moved into the twentieth century, while the idealistic definition of it remained, the American Dream began to evolve. No longer was it simply about being a successful person—now one must show that they were successful. And let’s face it, in the twentieth century, there were more material goods to own than compared to the nineteenth century.
Slowly, as the world became more materialistic, so did the American Dream. The word “success” was no longer simply defined by personal standards. Owning material goods became a symbol of status—not simply owning though, that would not do. One must own goods in luxury and excess, this divide between those who own (bourgeois) and those who did not (proletariat) widened. The definition of the American Dream now also includes buying what one likes, whether a necessity or not, and in excess in order to demonstrate the power derived from wealth.
As for me, the American Dream has nothing to do with money. It all comes down to how one defines success, and while money is nice to have, it is not the definition of success for me. For me, success is intangible. It is when I set out for a task and perform it well. It is when I grow mentally and academically. It is when I make a difference. It is when I help make a better world. It is when I help someone in need. It is when I become a better person. And as long as I grow as an individual, no matter where I am, I am living the American Dream.
The American Dream can mean many things to different people. I feel that it is the ability of anyone to do what they want and be successful, whether it be pursuing education and starting a career in any given area, living in any area of the world without persecution, and having a choice for religion and not having it dictated by a government. It should not matter your sex, economical background, or ethnicity. Everyone should have the same chance of achieving the American Dream by hard work and perseverance.
ReplyDeleteAs a society, we have come quite a long way from when the very first settlers who came to America as immigrants searching for opportunities in a continent which was largely unexplored. Owning land and having the opportunity to practice their own religion played a huge role in the migration to America to achieve many immigrant's American Dream. One of the first documents, The Declaration of Independence, was the first stepping stone in establishing rights for the people in their pursuit of this dream. As time moved on and with the Constitution, many historical people had to make a stand and fight for additional rights. There are so many examples of historical people who paved the way for others to achieve their American Dream: Harriet Tubman who led slaves to freedom, Rosa Parks and Sojourner Truth who stood up for equality for African-Americans, and Susan Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's pursuit for women's rights. With the addition of the amendments to the Constitution, the work of these people and many others were not in vain.
This past presidential election actually showed us the American Dream by electing the first African-American president, Barack Obama. It is also interesting to note that a female vice-president was on the ticket as well, Sarah Palin. This shows the ultimate job, the President of the United States, can be achieved by anyone.
Many believe the American dream is an idea about freedom, the freedom to do whatever they want without consequences. For some the dream may be to own your own business, or to become a powerful politician. It may be to find a job that covers the bills and raise a family. The American dream, to many, is to gain as much material wealth as possible, other may see the dream as getting everything they can from others with out working to get those things.
ReplyDeleteMy personal opinion of the American dream is that my life is my choice. If I choose to do the next right thing then I will gain, what I consider, the benefits of my choice. If I choose the wrong action then I understand that there will be negative consequences. Either way I have the freedom of choice and to me that is the American dream.
The American Dream is based profoundly on freedom and what that bestows. It is the freedom to have a choice, make decisions, and create your own opportunities with sanctioned success. It concerns the valuable knowledge that hard work pays off. I believe the initial details to the American Dream, as they were when America became a nation, was instituted upon this freedom and the success that follows. For the first time, people where allowed to create their own life, have their own outlook, and have dreams that seemed possible.
ReplyDeleteThe American Dream today is based profoundly on wealth. To have money, a nice car, a nice house, and a supporting career is what makes you a superior in the eyes of American success. People want to have it all, and to be lacking in these departments makes you nothing more than inferior. Education is a highly admired commodity to American life and the American Dream, and proving your intelligence with a diploma is highly regarded as a requirement to American success.
There is another side to the current aspect of the American Dream. These days, fame is what makes you important. Some of the wealthiest people in America achieve their wealth by means of entertainment. So much of our money goes to the entertainment industry, and these people with their pompous music and mediocre sports achievements make so much money that they don’t deserve. Then again, this a mere opinion, an opinion of someone with no current degree, no current achievements, and a near poverty income who scrapes her money to pay rent every month.
My American Dream is to live in comfort, as I believe most do. Comfort to me is not the same comfort to others. For me, my American Dream is to be a school teacher and one day a college professor. I have dreams to finish school with honors, marry my boyfriend, have a couple children, and live in a modest house with a gorgeous backyard. I would love to grow my own vegetables, have a few chickens, and sit poolside every day of the Summer. I would love to travel around Europe and be able to do these things without the struggle of money. My family is included in this dream. I wish nothing more than for the happiness and health of my family, and wish to keep them close to me while I seek out my dream. I hope to do it all with little to no debt, which if I play my cards right, is quite possible.
The foundation and principles that established the American Dream are very simple yet very important in understanding how this country was built into the world’s leader. This same dream has been instilled in every great leader, hero, or any other individual that has helped shape America into what it is today. Although many of these dreams have been made up of different ideas or goals, they all can be traced back to having common themes of achieving success. These dreams often start out big, but they become success stories when someone shoots for the stars and because they are partnered with highly motivated and inspired people. These dreams have produced some of the most breathtaking inventions and have been the factor that allows people to achieve and accomplish the unthinkable. Without these inspirations, it is not clear where we would be today, but it is almost guaranteed that we would not have many of the benefits that we often take for granted.
ReplyDeleteToday, many believe that the American Dream has lost its original zest as a result of a shift in societal norms and culture. Culture all around the country has transformed into a materialistic approach that is largely set through the media and pop culture. This has resulted into the adoption of a less meaningful approach and notion of what the American Dream truly means. If you were to ask a young adult what their dream is, you probably would expect to hear something along the lines of, “A luxurious car, large home to live in with all of the latest technology, and all of the spending money that one person would ask for.” However, if you were to ask a newly arrived immigrant stepping onto Ellis Island in the 1920’s, you would expect to hear something quite different. Most likely they would not have elaborated on specific items, but instead would relish on the idea of being able to provide for their families and giving their children a better overall life than they had. They would dare to find new opportunities that could help achieve that goal and bring prosperity and happiness into their lives. After all, these were the people that packed up their entire lives, virtually risking their future by starting all over on a completely different continent. The risk was so high, but that was completely outweighed by their willingness and the potential that this country possessed.
These were the types of attitudes that the American Dream was built upon. Hopefully, we as a nation will be able to restore that same attitude in our future generations and continue to bring about the best innovations and ideas in the world. I believe that the Dream is critical to our future success and without it we will lose our unique features that our founding fathers helped establish. Personally, my version of the American Dream can be linked toward wanting happiness and being involved in a career where I am able to get a satisfaction of influencing others lives. I feel that my teaching endeavors can impact lives in so many ways and I hope that I can instill the same values and principles that the American Dream originally consisted of into my future students.
I think the American dream is different for everybody because everyone has different dreams and things that they want to accomplish in life and have many different passions and things that make them who they are as a person. For me my American dream has always been the same thing since I was a little kid and that is to play professional baseball one day and as I have grown up I realized that not everybody can make that dream a reality so my other dream is becoming a police officer or a DEA agent or something exciting in the criminal justice field. My other dreams have been to get married and have a nice house and have kids one day. The American dream means a lot to me because it is my dream of what I want to do with my life and who I want to be and who I want to become. I think that everybody’s dreams are really important to them and it gives them goals to work to achieve so that they can turn their dreams into a reality no matter what their dream may be. I think the American dream started with the founding of our country and the thought that as an American you can turn your dreams and reality if you work hard and follow your dreams. It started off with Americans wanting to move out west and have their own piece of land and have their own house that they could farm on and raise a family. I think it has evolved over time because as more and more people started moving out west they turned their dreams into becoming rich and making as much money as they can so they could have the best life possible for themselves and their families. So I feel that the American dream affects everybody that is an American and gives them hope and something to aspire towards.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the American Dream? To me the American dream is something like a dream itself, some dreams are good and some are bad just like life. Many years ago we were giving rights and freedom that helped Americans improve our own dream. I believe in most people’s minds the American dream is the white picket fence, the perfect husband/wife, an amazing house, money, beautiful children, animals and much more. Except the worst part is life isn’t truly an “American dream” it simply doesn’t work that way. From personal experience I have a different dream in mind for my future, although the American dream sounds wonderful it unrealistic because nothing like that is perfect. One can make choices to help with their own personal dream of life by setting a goal to try and live the American dream, but it is very hard to accomplish. Matthew Warshauer wrote, “Americans have sought to realize the American dream of success, fame and wealth through thrift and hard work. However, the industrialization of the 19th and 20th centuries began to erode the dream, replacing it with a philosophy of "get rich quick". To me this is very true someone would rather sell everything in their home then get a job. I would rather work 40 hours a week than sell everything I have worked for my entire life just so it can be gone like that. Every day the American dream is getting hard to live by I guess what we do have to live by is our own personal dream of our life.
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is the American dream? There is no particular definition of the American dream because this is different for each person. In general, the American dream is the idea that people can live in this country and prosper. In addition, the American dream revolves around the level of freedom that exists in America. In general, the American government does not prevent anyone from living in a certain place or holding certain jobs as is common in other countries. The best way to sum it up is to say that the American dream is the ability of people to pursue their wildest dreams and actually have a chance of fulfilling those dreams.
ReplyDeleteThe American dream originated when the pilgrims came to America to pursue the freedom of religion. The pilgrims were not only able to have new religious freedoms, but they were able to completely start their lives over and have control over where they would settle and how this new colony would actually thrive. The pilgrims were unhappy with their current lifestyle and wanted it to change; this was their “American dream.” By moving to America, the pilgrims made a decision that was frightening and had no idea what to expect in this new land. However, this frightening decision enabled them to fulfill their dream and so much more.
Today, the American dream means that people from other countries come here to start a new life. People come here so that their children can grow up in America and have more freedoms and more opportunities than they had when they grew up. In America, there is no government acceptance of persecution of any kind, so sometimes people come to America seeking safety and freedom from oppression.
As a modern young American, the American dream means that I have the ability, even the right, to set goals for myself while also having the opportunity to pursue and accomplish these goals. Personally, one aspect of my American dream is to go to college and earn a degree so that I can have a career I love, but that will also provide for me and my family. Finally, I want to be able to live in a safe neighborhood and live out my faith without the fear of someone persecuting me.
According to Wikipedia, “The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success.” labeling freedom as an enormous part of the American dream. It furthermore goes into detail by stating, “The statue is an iconic symbol of the American Dream.” referring to the Statue of liberty as the subjective metaphor for the American dream. The American dream to me means creating your own success. What I mean by this is that a person should be the only one to determine whether the American dream is freedom or something else. A problem I see associated with the American dream is it is a “pass or fail” objective. The American dream should be set by personal standards because of the way society has changed. The social classes of America are unequal and “passing or failing” should be changed for each person. For the wealthy class, the American dream is not the same as the American dream for the middles class. My American dream started when I learned about what is was. I remember thinking how bias my history book defined it, which was basically the same definition as Wikipedia, and wondered if this was the actual definition that I should have. As I got older, I realized my American dream was being thankful for what I have. To me freedom and the statue of liberty were the subjective part but the feeling of being grateful for what you have was objective. The American dream for me means being successful using my standards not being rich or owning a big business, which is the common misconception. My standard for my American dream requires myself to be happy, in good health, and grateful. Right now I am living the American dream.
ReplyDeleteIt my mind, when I think of the "American Dream" one word comes to mind: Money. Without even thinking about the specifics of the question I really think that with each year that passes America as a whole gets more greedier and more selfish. Don't get me wrong, I think America is an amazing place to live in. I can understand why people want to travel here and start a new life in a free country. To them the American dream is just being free. I can proudly say that I am free. That in itself is a blessing.
ReplyDeleteNow as for my American dream....hmm. I would have to say just to life a comfortable life. By comfortable I mean being able to complete college and establish a sucessful career and have a supportive family. Ya, all the money in the world would be nice but what good is it if you cant feel proud and have supportive people to share it with.
The American dream means opportunities and freedom.
What usually comes to mind when I think of the American Dream is that people can get whatever it is that they are looking for in life if they work hard for it. It is usually different for everyone because people do not usually have the same out look on life and want different things out of it. Another reason everyone’s dreams are usually different is because you can choose how you want your life to turn out, but that does not mean that it will happen that way in the end. A lot of Dreams include wealth and obtaining it. Some of them are out of reach and unobtainable but it gives people hope to strive for it and have that small chance of making it big in the end. But besides wealth, people also dream of being happy because if you are happier then life just seems a whole lot easier.
ReplyDeleteIt comes from when people migrated here and were in search of their dreams and to live the lives that they had always wanted. It also was when there were times of hardships and people needed something to search for that was better than what was going on at that time, like war and the depression. Today I believe it means the perfect house with the white picketed fence in the front where the family inside is happy and is not suffering for money. But to me the American Dream is living my life the way I want to and to the fullest. And I believe that means getting a great education that leads to the job I have always wanted where I am happy at it and then having a family that I love and adore. Everyone has their own idea of the American Dream but right now I have a nice start to my Dream and I hope it keeps going that way.
To me the American dream is what a person has in mind for what they really want out of life. It is a person’s thought that they can get anything that they want in the world. It could be anything like a mansion or the thought of a white picket fence. People think that they can get anything in life if they just try. The American Dream to one person could be completely different to another person. Some people may just want to succeed in a job; others may want to be president. The American Dream is what people dream of. They may think about it a lot and want to work toward it. I believe that the American Dream originated when immigrants moved to the United States because they wanted a better life and freedom. They wanted to make their own way in life, it was not just about the money, and they wanted to choose how they lived their lives. To me the American Dream is not just about money. It is about succeeding in ways that I feel are best. I feel my American Dream is succeeding in my studies and getting my degree in my chosen field. I then want to get a successful job and have a healthy family. The American Dream to many people is also not just about money, they may just want to be the best that they can be. Many families that do not have a lot of money may just want their kids to be successful in life and get good jobs. I think that the American Dream today means equality to everyone. In order for someone to achieve their American Dream, they must work hard for it. It will not come easily to someone who does not work hard for it.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the “American Dream” for most people is to become successful and famous. To become famous could mean many different things to different people. Some people just want to become well-known, in their own field of business or by complete strangers. There are people who wish to have people look up to them and scream out their name as they walk down the sidewalk. Success is also a word that has very different meanings depending on the person you ask. Success could be in material possessions or amount of wealth that person obtains throughout their lifetime. Success could also mean that this person is happy with the relationships they have created and maintained in their life. To me, the “American Dream” is finding happiness in whatever you are given in your life. If someone has had to fight and work hard for everything they have in their lives, as long as they are happy, they have found their own American Dream. On the other hand, if someone has come about things easily and without too much trouble in their life, they could still be happy and have fulfilled their own American Dream. My American Dream is to achieve all of my goals that I have and will set for myself. To me, these goals that need to be achieved are both professional and personal. In my professional life I would like to become great at what I do, and to be recognized for my good and hard work. In my personal life I would like to start a family and raise my children to be successful and hard-working people. I believe that this is a very attainable American Dream. It will take some hard work and extreme dedication, but I know that I am capable of both things.
ReplyDeleteThe American Dream is simply the right of all citizens to be able to find happiness and wealth in the United States of America. When people speak of the American dream, they are referring to the right of everyone to find peace and prosperity. The American Dream was first seen in the Declaration of Independence. The declaration stated that all men should have certain rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is where the American Dream first anchored itself in the society of the United States.
ReplyDeleteLike any other thing, the American Dream has changed over time. At first, the American Dream was as simple as getting land, and expanding from the original thirteen states. Then as the times and technology changed, so did the American Dream. During the 19th century, the American Dream became a symbol of hope to most immigrants. They believed that the United States would prove to be a better place to live than their own country because they would not be ruled by kings and queens in America. The 20th century opened the doors for the more materialistic version of the American Dream, but the dream could still only be accomplished by the hard work of the individual. Throughout all that time, the American Dream could only be completed by the person who wished to better themselves. The American Dream never stated that a person could only rise so far depending on status. It simply said that how high you want to go in life depends on you. Today the American Dream is not much different from the 20th century. It is still the right that every citizen has to find wealth and happiness no matter what race or gender a person might be. It is up to today’s citizens to take every opportunity to make their American Dream come true because the American Dream cannot just be given to a person.
The American dream to me is an “unwritten” promise that America is supposed to fulfill to all its citizens. There are so many people from other nations trying to get into the United States because of the American Dream. My American Dream? That is an easy question. I want a decent education, and then I would like an opportunity to get a job in order to survive and to find happiness. I know that these things will not be given to me, so I will have to work hard if I want the life I would like to live.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream
For many, the idea of the American dream can be traced all the way back to the declaration of independence, where it is stated that all men are created equal and that they have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are simple ideas that explain the American way of life. The American dream is the simple concept that anyone can do anything they want in this country regardless of upbringing, race or sex, and that any one person foreign or domestic can reach their fullest potential in America. It goes without saying that each individual’s idea of the American dream is different. For some it means becoming wealthy and for others it’s raising a family or maybe owning a home but overall it’s having the freedom to make your own decisions and the ability to act as individuals. It should also be pointed out that it’s everyone’s idea of a “dream” that makes up the American dream. For instance Martin Luther King’s “dream” was for racial equality so to him was that the American dream? When I think of a dream, I think of what I would envision as perfect and my idea of a perfect world may be very different compared to others. Very simply my American dream is nothing more than the basic freedoms that most people take for granted. Having spent time in Iraq and Afghanistan I have seen first-hand how good we have it in America. I didn’t realize how much I took for granted simple things like the internet, cell phones, or fast food. So for me the American dream is all the small things that everyone takes for granted in day to day life. With the current economic crisis and all the other turmoil our country is surrounded by, many people forget how good we really have it and that every day we all truly live the American dream.
ReplyDeleteWithout doing any research I would say that if someone brings up the American dream, I have to ask them; which one?
ReplyDeleteThe few history classes and the movies/stories I have read have led me to believe that there was once a good-hearted common agreement amongst Americans of this dream. The American dream was to come to a free land and build individual lives that include the basic necessities for survival as well as happiness. Survival with food, water, and shelter were the basic foundations of the American dream. Followed by a family, a respectably occupation and income, and a long life that one could be proud of. This dream was created by people who were running from tragedy, war, famine, some of them had absolutely nothing. This dream was passed on from generation to generation through even more wars and chaos yet somehow, it seems to have changed for the worst.
This leads me into the American Dream V.2 Get rich fast while having everything handed to you and have a blast while you're doing nothing. A good majority of the people I meet don't list "I want to work hard" in their life goals. Especially, young adults my age, the extent of their dream is "to win the lottery." What's even more disappointing to me than people expecting things to be handed to them is that no one seems to think that they can change their life. Horatio Alger would be extremely disappointed in the fact that the underdog has given up. What used to be a nationwide motivation is now a nationwide case of lazy-asses.
Personally, I feel that I've kept the traditional American dream at heart and have only been slightly materialized by the society that surrounds me. I want to find something that I am good at and make a career out of it. I want to save as much money as I need, I do not need billions of dollars, I want a home and a family and be able to provide dinner every night for that family. I try to appreciate what has been done for me and the blessings I have. I believe that whatever it is I decide to do with my life I can do it regardless of “the man” or my social class. I also believe that I can have a blast while working my ass off to make ends meet. -Rahslynn <3
The American Dream is the underlying structure to our nation. It is what we strive to become. Within one of our nation’s historical documents holds the original intent, “objective” meaning of this dream.
ReplyDelete"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
The United States Declaration of Independence
This statement is an idea that pertains to Americans having the opportunities and abilities to succeed.
The traditional American Dream has many accomplishments. Our history books contain the accomplished dreams of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, the Lewis and Clark expedition, etc to expand westward. Also, the achievements of equality would not be the same without women’s suffrage, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. just to name a few. Although these accomplishments display the “original” American Dream, I believe this idea now has changed from existential necessities to greedy mammon.
The film, GONZO: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, that we watched in class and the gonzo journalism novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas a Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson structured my opinion that the American Dream is drastically evolving. Thompson lived his life without limits, the edge of life being his only boundary. Being happy with what he was given did not suffice. Thompson, like many Americans today, is the “vision of the Big Winner” (Thompson, 57). The American Dream has a dark side, the irony too many “dreams” backfire.
The American Dream has its overall objective meaning; however, my own personal “subjunctive” American Dream is to be successful and grateful in my life regards to my family, values, and fortunes and make a positive difference. I hope that this success will not take me to the dark side.
To me, "The American Dream" means freedom, it means the freedom to follow the path you want to follow. The chance to actually be able to make money and have a life while not living in abject poverty or having to worry about malaria in your water or being persecuted for your religion.
ReplyDeleteThe American Dream is years worth of dreams thrown together by different people for different reasons and all piled into a conglomeration. Everyone who ever came to the Americas hoped for something different and better here, a new start, a fresh life. Over time you have people who came along like Thomas Jefferson and issued the Declaration of Independence which states "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness sums it up well.
The ideas of the “American dream” came from the deceleration of independence. The American dream is to evolve, have freedom, happiness, and success. I think the American dream has evolved because women are getting involved with the work industry, and they are moving up the social ladder. It took a lot of people to have success in the American dream. Not everyone had freedom or even had the right to learn how to read. Now in America everyone has the right to go to school and to be taught. Job opportunities are open to anyone who qualifies for them. Gender, race, and ethics are not in a job title. I also think that now the dream is being corrupted. People in America have become greedy and most people don’t care about their success anymore. Everyone wants to get rich and no one cares how they do it. People become drug dealers and frauds because it is a fast way to make money. Having material items is now an American’s dream instead of being happy and free.
ReplyDeleteTo me the American dream is living the life that I want to live. To have the right to say what I want to say and do the things that I want to do without someone telling me what to do. My American dream is to become successful. To be with my family and for them to live the life that they want to and for them to be successful. Success doesn’t mean to be rich. To every person it is something different for every person. My American dream is for people to be judged by their personality and not by the way they look. For family and friends to have a good outlook on life, and for everyone to find peace in their life.
What is the American Dream? To the American Dream is to be successful and live freely. Most immigrants wants to come over the American because they what to live a dream of working and having opportunity to have health care, liberty, happiness and other things that the Americans have that other countries don’t have and it comes down to freedom. James Adams states in his book The Epic of America that the dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. To me that mean achieving your goals that you want in life and just getting the opportunity to do so is a dream for most people.
ReplyDeleteToday people work more hours to have bigger things in life. What about family? People that want to have bigger things in life work extra hours and is always at work but when it comes down to it family and happiness means a dream for me.
What it the American dream? The American dream has been a concept in the America’s since the first consists started arriving. The Conley’s were supposed to be the house on the hill, “an ideal society” one with moral and religious standing. This was the original concept of those such as John Winthrop. Later due to the immigration of peoples from outside of England new religions were added so the religious purity fell by the way side, but the idea of an ideal society remained. What was this ideal. The thought that anyone could come here and be somebody, provide for their family, to give their children a better life than they had. For my family it was an escape from Imperial Germany. My Great Grandfather fought in two wars for the Kaiser. When his draft papers were called up again he got his family out of Germany and immigrated to the United States. For him the biggest part of the American Dream was freedom. Freedom to live without government interference and strain to work the land that he loved with having to go kill every few years. What it is, is a compilation of many ideas wrapped into one thought “the American Dream”. Its hope, its freedom, it’s the knowing that tomorrow will be a better day.
ReplyDeleteThe American Dream is a very broad term that people define very differently. When I think of the American Dream, freedom comes to mind first. We wouldn't be able to live out our dreams here in the United States if it wasn't for the freedom we have. Because of freedom, we have the ability to strive for whatever we wish. Someone's American Dream is what they plan to achieve, through working hard and being successful. Some dreams are realistic, like just living a healthy life, and some can be fantasy, like becoming rich and famous. My American dream is to be successful, and to do that I dream of finishing college and becoming a lawyer. I want to be successful and make enough money for me and my family to survive. I dream of traveling, if not the world, than atleast the United States. The American Dream, to me, is what a person is living for.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the American dream? That is rather weighted question to try and answer. To me, the American dream is more or less a way of life. It seems like everyone is constantly trying to achieve this certain dream but nobody really knows what the true American dream actually is. Just like many people go to school every year and always try to achieve higher education. There is primary school, secondary school, college and even graduate or medical school. People are constantly trying to achieve the highest status they can receive. If someone does not go to college their first thought is to find a job that gives high status or a great pay check every month. The American dream is to constantly be receiving the fullest potential possible. Americans fought many years ago for the freedoms we have now, which in a sense add to the American dream. If we were not allowed to have all of these freedoms such as freedom of speech, we would not be able to achieve such high status. This way of living has taken over the lives of basically all Americans. But what is the importance of having the latest sports vehicle, living in a mansion, and making six figures a year? This whole idea of the American dream has put so much pressure on the citizens of our country. I feel that especially the generation I am growing up in has a great stress laid upon them. Our parents are constantly pushing us to do more than they did, to work our butts off to afford a nicer vehicle than we grew up with or a bigger house than our parents have. While the American dream can have a plethora of definitions, to me the American dream is a lifestyle which consists of achieving the most money or the highest status available to you. So while at times it can be stressful, I feel as though I am trying to live the American dream. After completing my first year of college, although I changed my major I did significant research to find a new major that would provide a job for me that would bring me plenty of money. I want to have to never worry about money and when I one day raise a family I want them to feel like they are part of the American dream. To live life never worrying about whether or not I can afford something or not be able to provide for my children will not be an issue. I hope to carry on this lifestyle of the American dream and instill this mindset in my family one day.
ReplyDeleteThe American dream is the brainchild of the post WWII era. Having a strong nuclear family, that is, members of your family whom you share a house with, a car in every garage and a white picket fence around your home. All this while Dad goes off to work and Mom takes care of the home while Beaver goes and plays stickball in the park after he finishes his schoolwork. This sounds kind of silly in today's day and age but that was the true dream of America. This changed during the youth revolt of the sixties and seventies as well as the drug explosion and movement of women into the workplace. The change in the make-up of a nuclear family, with many more divorces and remarriages also changed this. Today, the American dream seems to be all about becoming rich and powerful with lots of money and fans, essentially an entertainment superstar. The American dream to me is what both of those scenarios essentially boil down to: success. Success back then just meant providing your family with a comfortable life. Now it is more of a personal success, involving power. I personally think the American dream is just succeeding in whatever we choose to do with our lives. We are given the right to essentially pursue whatever we choose in this nation, and succeeding at that choice, that right, is what the American dream is to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the American Dream? Well, it can be many things. It can be having a home, becoming independently wealthy, or anything else an individual decides. Where is the “American Dream” that so many Americans are looking for? Is this why our ancestors came to America- to find this one idea- or was it another?
ReplyDeleteWikipedia states, “The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the United States Declaration of Independence which proclaims that "all men are created equal" and that they are "endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights" including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”” Now that we are “equal” in the eyes of law, what is the American dream, if there is one anymore?
I believe the dream is only what you want to achieve for yourself and/or your family. I want to gain successful employment in my field of study, buy a house, and give birth to a few children. Part of my dream was to get married, and I did that. I do not see this as an American dream, however; these are my life goals. In one way, the new American Dream has turned into accomplishing anything we want to in our lifetime. The American Dream still exists in another way- in the hearts of all immigrants seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time and realizing all of their hopes and dreams can come true just because they are now Americans.
The American Dream is the ideal lifestyle that every American strives to create for themselves and their family. The dream is different for every individual and it keeps changing and evolving as the years go by. The original dream came during the American Revolution when the United States became a country and was trying to create a national identity. With all this newfound freedom, the American Dream consisted of the new settlers striving for the perfect life, which back then was to be successful and have a functional family, house, and job with a life of available opportunities. Over time it has evolved and now it means something different to everyone. To some, like in the book we are reading, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, the dream is to live a fun, free life and experience the opportunities America offers because of our freedom. To others it is more of the classic white picket fence dream and getting by with a normal life.
ReplyDeleteThe American Dream to me is more of the old fashioned original dream but has some of the modern dream included. My own personal dream is to graduate college, move to a new city, get married and raise a family. I want to be able to be a stay at home mom and take care of my family and home while my husband works. I want to instill traditional values in my children and raise them to be quality, good hearted people so they can grow up to be able to make an educated decision about what their own person dream is and continue to evolve the American Dream with time. If I successfully do this, then I will of lived my American Dream.
The American dream can mean anything to different people. As a country, we had a dream to be independent and create the best place for anyone to come and live. Although the country uses this as a foundation, every person creates their thoughts on what they would like to have or achieve. The American dream could be just the thought of being able to do anything, whether it be opening a store or becoming a musician. Anyone can do anything that they want to do. By being in America, we are surrounded by all different types of people who come here for different reasons. The American dream means the ability to create a life that you are happy with and knowing that no one can take that feeling away from you because even if that moment of happiness of completing your dream collapses, at least you know you can do it. By having this thing that is so attainable as the American Dream, Americans are driven towards something. Some people may think of the American Dream as living alone in a secluded house with millions of dollars, but others may want to be in the middle of town surrounded by all sorts of people. The American dream is just being able to do anything you can set your mind to, and being able to accomplish anything.
ReplyDeleteMy American Dream is to be free to do whatever I want. Also, obviously, having lots of money to finance all of these adventures. I would enjoy being able to think up some product and sell millions of it and then not have to work again. I think this is the real dream everyone hopes for, thinking up some product or scheme and getting rich from it. Although everyone pursues this, only a few people get there because as more products come the less products there are to create, so you have to start getting creative. Although I would love to be able to think of and sell this product, I would be fine with being able to explore nature for the better part of my older life and accepting new adventures as they come about. This, I think, would be the ultimate dream, living day to day instead of planned out boringness.
Back when America was new it was life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Over the years it changes very little in a whole but from person to person it has always meant something different. For slaves it was freedom and equality which continued even into the 1960's. Nowadays i think the whole ethos is more about the promise of freedom to the possibility of success and prosperity. Its about the working class unable to get ahead while immigrants are getting farther then the working class, about the rich getting richer and the famous becoming more famous.
ReplyDeleteI believe everyone has their own American Dream. Originally America was founded by people who had dreams of freedom. People moved to America in search of freedom, whether that was religious freedom or freedom of speech or even freedom to bear arms. They believed that America was a world of possibilities and that moving to America would allow them to start over and begin a new chapter in their lives. Many people thought they could make it big or just live their own lives without any persecution and anyone telling them how to live or what to believe. Many people today associate freedom and the American Dream with their own personal success. Some people view success as wealth while others view success as raising a happy and healthy family. I view success as living my life for Jesus. I am a Christian so everything I do is a reflection of my relationship with my Savior. Sometimes I mess up, but my American Dream is to live a God-honoring life and to reach as many people for Jesus as I possibly can. I do not know exactly how I will accomplish this; however, I know God has a plan for my life, and if I listen, I will achieve my American Dream.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the “American Dream”?
ReplyDeleteThis phrase applied to the immigrants and the thought of the “American Dream” became wildly popular during the Great Depression. This phrase gives people hope that they can succeed and gain complete happiness through hard work. I believe that the “American Dream” is an extremely idealistic dream where people vision a world where people are not discriminated upon due to their race, religion, or gender; sadly which none of these are realistic.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the “American Dream”; however, is Martin Luther King Jr. His dream was not materialistic like most today, but rather about what he fully believed in and that was the advancement is civil rights. He worked to end racial segregation and racial discrimination. He is well known for his “I have a dream” speech, this speech consisted of his “American Dream.”
Everyone has their own “American Dream,” even realists like me. My “American Dream” consists of many things. The idea that things will get better is a big part of mine. I know this is a very unrealistic dream, but I’ve always gone out of my way to help other people and I wish that most people did this. More people should be kind, genuine, and respectful. My whole life I never knew what I was going to do when I grew up. For all these years, the only thing that I for sure knew that I wanted to do was help people. I went through many career choices and had my mind set for the longest time that I was going to be a teacher. It wasn’t until the beginning of this year that I realized that I wanted to go in to Criminal Justice. Through the Criminal Justice major I can go in to Social Work and help children that cannot help themselves. So my “American Dream” is more about helping other people rather than myself.
What is the “American dream”? After reading the postcards from the proud highway, I believe the “American dream” is different than what I had originally believed. I used to think the American dream was all about freedom and having the best things in life and gaining it through things one personally achieves. That it was all about having the perfect life. However I now believe that we all start out living the “American dream” from the time we are able to make our own choices. The choices that we make affect how much of the “American dream” that we lose. This became evident when Thompson was discussing free will. He says “Nobody is taking our freedoms. We’re dealing them off.” Don’t get me wrong we all want to be successful, but at what cost. Are we selling our own free will working our asses off to make a good salary and afford nice things? Everybody wants to have nice things and be able to throw out money for anything they want at any time they want, but nothing comes free. The idea of the “American dream” is a total sham. If someone works hard all their life and has a bunch of nice objects to show for it who says they have lived the “dream” any more than someone has hitchhiked all across the world and barely scraped by. Just because the working person has all these possessions to show doesn’t mean the person without doesn’t have more memories. I guarantee the person who just barely got by his whole life has lived a much more interesting life and would be a whole heck of a lot more interesting to talk to. It’s hard to define the richness of the phrase “American dream”, but I personally believe it is up to each individual’s discretion to decide what “the American dream” is to him. Not everyone will have the same dream, but I still believe everyone can still live their own version of “the American dream”. Now with that being said I would have to say my “American dream” is simply just to get by and live each day as it comes while doing things that make me happy. By doing things that will make me happy each day, it won’t necessarily make me rich in a wealthy way, but will make me rich in a sense of happiness and fulfillment.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of the American dream originated with the founding of our country. It began as the idea that farmers could buy land for a relatively cheap cost in the new world of America. The “American Dream” ideology has changed very much since then. It now refers to the idea that everyone in America has a chance to be prosperous in whatever they set their mind to. The roots of the idea of an American Dream are planted in the Declaration of Independence; i.e. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
ReplyDeleteIn my eyes, the “American Dream” means having the ability to do what you want to do, as long as it isn’t harming anyone, without being judged by others or the government. If that means being homosexual, or doing drugs, or having sex, or protesting for something you believe to be right, so be it. One person’s dream isn’t suppose to be contained by limits of another.
My American dream isn’t anything flashy. I want to be an Elementary School Teacher in a medium sized town in Illinois. Hopefully I will find love in about five years so I can start to have children. I want about three, but there is room for negation. My American Dream is just to be happy, and, in reality, that is what everyone’s is.
Rumors of the American dream sprang up long ago when immigration from Europe and other countries was very common. Many began to not only, “dream” of the American Dream, but also chase it. To foreigners and many Americans, the American dream meant that one could be successful at any career they chose, own a nice house, and live their “dream life” with complete happiness. The American dream was not necessarily a myth. However, the fact that not everyone could live the American dream made it one.
ReplyDeleteAs time has continued, the meaning of the American Dream has changed since the days of mass foreign immigration and the founding of our country. Today, the American Dream is a part of our society that has faded out. Economic recession has led to lay-offs, foreclosures, and forced poverty on some. In this present society, the American dream comes with a price. The price is an overzealous amount of hard work and dedication, and a bit of luck. The American Dream is something that has come and past. Or has it? Maybe the American Dream will make a comeback when America has the greatest economy in the world again and the American dream may not actually be, just a dream.
“The American Dream” is just that, a dream. I do not believe it is anything an individual can fully grasp. It is the mentality of striving for something better. It is ambition. It is hope. It is desire. The essence of the “American Dream” is that everybody has the same opportunity to make something of themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe term, “The American Dream” was first coined by the author James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America. He states: "The American Dream” is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement…… It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."
The Declaration of Independence might be considered the foundation of the American Dream, stating, "…held certain truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."
Most people see the “American Dream” as something material. The Dream could be possessions or a position that one can hold. To me, however, the “American Dream” is to live a simple and fulfilling life.
According to Wikipedia "The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success". when considering this definition its impossible no to include material possesions, but is there a limit to the amount of happiness that material possesions can bring you. I think yes eventually you have to reach a point in your life when you're happy with what you have. Having the ability to care for yourself and your family I think is integral to the American dream. Not having kids myself my american dream is probably different than others who have children. For me the American dream is about being able to have a good time live it up while I can and experience as much as possible. I only need enough to cover my moderate expenses. My American dream consists of wine women and .... Well just wine and women actually. I have no desire to be the richest dead guy in the cemetary. When people talk about the American dream it means that in America everyone has the freedom to pursue what makes them happy. America has always been a place where it doesnt matter what economic class you were born into, you have the abillity through hard work to rise above your means. America is a relatively young country, since the revolution we have rejected the idea that the status that you're born into is the status with which you'll die. Unlike our European counterparts America has always been a democracy we have never had to deal with a monarchy or a repressive upper class, that's what makes America such a unique place and why our idea of the American dream is so unique.
ReplyDeleteThe American Dream in my opinion is not a way of living or something one obtains financially.So often we as Americans have been led to believe that it means the house with the big house,the two or three cars in the driveway and lots of money. But so often in the media an through everday life we see examples of people who thought that they had achieved the "American Dream" to seem disappointed. Because after all the labor and struggle they are still frustrated.
ReplyDeleteMy idea of the "American Dream" is the ability to attain what gives you a peace of mind and good health. Because at the end of the day if one doesn't have a piece of mind or they have bad health conditions all of these other things may seem meaningless. I know that we were not designed or formed to have perfect health because of our flesh,but we can be somewhat happy or satisfied if healthy.