What Is The American Dream Today

Posted on by Forest in General, Uncategorized

What Is The American Dream Today

The American Dream is an ethos that all citizens of the country today are aware of– whether it be consciously or unconsciously. Essentially it is rooted in the idea that the freedom America guarantees its citizens can lead to unlimited levels of prosperity and success. Perhaps it is best illustrated by the line in the Declaration of Independence which states: “all Men are created equal” and are, “endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights” which include, “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.

Of course the interpretation of the American Dream has evolved over time. When the Declaration of Independence was written only white men were considered to have such a write. Later the American dream became available to all of its citizens. James Truslow Adams who wrote the book Epic of America in 1931 spoke on the matter:

“But there has also been the American dream, that dream in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement. “

What Is The American Dream Today

Whereas once people felt as though the American dream was about cheap land and limited government interference in ones personal life and ambitions, today it might mean something else.

I think some could argue that the American dream has become twisted to be about owning four cars and having your own reality television show. In a way this may be how many people interpret what the “pursuit of happiness” is all about. While I think this is a somewhat bastardized version of the American dream, it is still pretty much the same in its essence, just adjust to modern times.

To me the American dream is about achieving your goals and ensuring a better life for you and your family. I live in Queens and I witness people from all over the world doing just this. They come to this country knowing there’s a level of opportunity here that doesn’t exist anywhere else. It’s true– America is a place where it doesn’t matter where your family is from. You can make pretty much anything happen for yourself. Look at our President– he was raised by a single mother and is truly a self-made person.

My friends who are first-generation Americans say the same thing. I have a friend who claims that if his parents had moved to any other country other than America they would be owners of a laundromat and not high level employees of IBM making six figures a year. It’s his interpretation of the kind of opportunity America offers anyway.

I think that not much as changed and that many people still believe the American dream is about “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. What those words mean nowadays, however, has changed. “Happiness” may be more superficial than before but that too can change. I think the American dream will always stay somewhat the same– utilizing the opportunity and freedom this country offers to make the most for ourselves.

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What Is The American Dream Today