American Dream Argumentative Essay

The “American Dream,” according to Truslow Adams, is “being able to grow to the fullest development as man and woman.” This ideal is not based on fame or wealth, but on enough to sustain a family and live comfortably, with a steadily rising income and a decent home. It is to be believed that hard work along with the “great equalizer”, education, allows individuals the freedom to determine their own life path, regardless of their background. The idea of the American dream ensures upward social mobility for those dedicated enough to achieve this lifestyle. In spite of that, recent arguments have said that this dream is either dying, or already dead. In his book “Dream Hoarders,” Richard Reeves counters that the American Dream is in fact alive and well, but simply being hoarded by the upper middles class.

Two words that inspire much conversation, thought, and even tension are the words American Dream. What is it? How do we achieve it? Is it even possible? Back when our country was first founded, the idea of the American Dream was people looking for a “new life” would come America to gain more opportunity. A very important document to our nation is the Declaration of Independence. This document highlights the concept of the American Dream when it declares, “All men are created equal” and also when it states the inalienable rights of each man are, “ life liberty and the pursuit of happiness” Equality, life liberty and happiness are significant points in the dream every American seeks to achieve.

            Most homes are structured to have multiple bedrooms and multiple baths. This is very fitting for families, but is unfit for young adults just getting out of college. Most millennials have followed the trend of attending college longer than the past generations have, and after they are done they make it a goal to find a career first before settling down with children. While they are busy doing that, they usually rent apartments because a house is too big for them to live in alone, or with a significant other. Until prepared to have children, most millennials chose the renting lifestyle so that they won’t be tied down to a place in case they want to make time for travel, or their career pushes them into another part of the country. Buying a house symbolizes settling down in an area and often means that the couple is prepared to have children. However it is not a priority until college is completed and a career is established, meaning purchasing a house doesn’t typically happen until people are in or close to their thirties.

It can be argued that the American Dream is dwindling as the country ages. As the country’s population rises, competition becomes more intense. This undoubtedly can make it more difficult to achieve a level of success that was more easily attainable 30 years ago. In addition, the cost of education has gotten so high that many graduates are paying back student loans for years. Many are stuck in a pit of debt that greatly hinders their career and personal goals. Also, rising costs of healthcare make it nearly impossible for some lower-income families to worry about more than keeping their basic needs met. In fact, some millennials are so fed up with current conditions that they completely deny the existence of the modern American Dream. For example, Andy Vasoyan, a 24 year old freelance voice actor and audio producer said, “I feel that the American dream (existed) and then just disappeared into the ether. Right now, because of income inequality and the difficulty of living in urban centers, it’s probably impossible for a huge segment of the population. And I don’t know if it was ever a real thing, but the idea of working

Comedian George Carlin once stated, “That’s why they call it the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it.” Financial security, freedom to live how one chooses, retiring at 65 and living comfortably in old age, owning a home, knowing that working hard pays off: these are all fundamental beliefs tied to the American Dream. As newer generations are increasingly finding the dream to be unrealistic, people are beginning to abandon the concept; however it is still a very present ideology. While many believe the American Dream is a lively goal that everyone strives to achieve, it is actually a dying illusion that is unattainable for all but the wealthiest and used to propagate a classist society, causing a cycle of ignorance

The forty-first president of the United States, George W. H. Bush, once said, “The American Dream means giving it your all, trying your hardest, accomplishing something…” As the years fly by, so does the American Dream. With busy lives, many Americans tend to forget the purpose of the American Dream. Failing to make ends meet, not being able to afford the new iPhone and the lack of success that is not America’s fault. People create their successes and failures based on what they desire. Through a person creating their own definition, not quitting once things go wrong, and creating opportunities the American Dream still floods the streets of America today.

Unkept promises diminish day by day. What once may have given people ambition and zeal has transformed into a superficial and consumerist ideal. In the nation’s youth, the American Dream was a promise to the people which has failed to impart its values to future generations. This promise traces back to the foundation that “all men are created equal” and Dictionary.com’s first definition defines the American Dream as “the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American.” This is closest to the originally intended meaning of the American Dream which perhaps only a minority of the population still recognizes. Politics and economy have contributed to the significant change in meaning and

The American Dream is a concept of living that has been based in America. This concept explains how everyone who lives in America strives to have enough money to have a very comfortable life. they get there with a mid-high income, living comfortably and have a loving family. What you are really doing is living the life you want and the life you are comfortable with a place that you know will protect you. Now in this environment that seems near nonexistent to most people in America. The reason for that is because of a lack of education, abuse in drugs, violence in impoverished neighborhoods, and more causes for how the poor are not able to reach the high life none the less the middle. There also seems to be a connection to tobacco companies in the more ghetto and impoverished communities the reason for that being is because it's an easier place to target and the people who live there will have a harder time kicking the drug habit and most likely never kick the habit. So that means an unhealthy lifestyle will get the companies that support it will gain more cash in their pockets. And with that, the people won't ever get out of the pit of poverty. But even though with the negativities many people have and nothing had to stop them from even trying and succeeding in their goal of escaping poverty and reaching for the American dream.

In previous years homeownership is was what people in the United States showed pride in, up until recent years after the fall in the market economy. The current homeownership in the United States have declined significantly since the years have passed and is now the lowest it has been in decades. Even though the housing market has been improving over the years in the United States, and the increasing homeownership rate is a worthwhile policy goal for America, home ownership still continue to decline.

In an effort to save money and lower debt, more and more millennials are turning living in their parent's basement from the punchline of a bad joke or sitcom fodder into an accepted, and even

Many years ago today, the United States of America was the prime example of prosperity and opportunity. It established America with the idea that its citizens would be guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today, it is true that people have liberties and are free to pursue happiness. However, in recent years, in the worst recession since the Great Depression. Unemployment, growing economy inequality, and medical care have skyrocketed. Despite the odds, the American Dream is still a goal that many people strive for and hope to reach. In fact, an essay written by Brandon King, The American Dream: Dead, Alive or on Hold? He says, “the American dream is a dream in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with the opportunity for each according to his/her ability and achievement…” (King 610-611). Therefore, the problem with the American Dream lies not within the dream itself, but within the means people pursue to attain this dream.

“The American Dream” is advertised as being the act of a person having an idea, goal, or as the saying suggests, a dream, and then them spending time, energy, and money to make it come true. However, if you haven’t realized it yet, there’s a reason they call it a dream because it hardly becomes a reality. More and more people are realizing this so called “dream” is nothing but a hoax, and that the promises America assures and guarantees such as equal opportunity and equal success are nothing but pure manipulation. Furthermore, the American dream no longer stands by the virtue of discrimination and prejudice, overwhelming debt, and failed establishments.

Regardless, owning a house is a noteworthy obligation, it's not a guaranteed respectable theory, and it's a truckload of work. I've been a home loan holder for only two years and I starting now have a creating summary of things to do and foremen to call it's not by and large the inventive paradise updating shows make it out to be.

Today millennials are seemingly unaware of the benefits of homeownership. I know this because of the lack of effort given by most of this group to do what it takes to become a homeowner. I currently work a supervisor at a debt collection agency here in Anchorage, AK. I see more and more individuals who seem to not car about bills that are in collections. A lot of younger consumers are seeming to hang up, not care or get overwhelmed by so many bills, especially medical. It’s very unfortunate when you know someone care about their bills and credit and just happens to get in binds. However, I find this is not the case with younger consumers. Paying bills are just not a priority it seems. I was born March 27,1989. For me when I was in high

My fiancée and I are both millennials with opposite views on homeownership. She lived in the same home all her life until college, I moved over 15 times before college. She is excited to buy a home and settle down in a nice town for the rest of her life. I can not imagine ever living somewhere longer than a few years, and the idea of being tied down by owning a home sounds repulsive to me. We are, obviously, on extreme ends of the spectrum, but many millennials fall to one side or the other of this scale. Many fear the permanence of home ownership, with the impermanence of the job market. Many don’t feel like they have enough money to own a home, and many just aren’t ready to settle down and ‘be