An Essay About The American Dream

The idea of the American dream revolves around attaining happiness, success and equality. For higher wealth classes obtaining these components aren't a concern; but for many, the American Dream has become a nightmare. For the poor being able to obtain simple necessities such as food, clothing and shelter is a daily struggle. The price of being poor is a lot costlier then those in the realm of the wealthy. Based on the current economic and social systems in America it does not provide everyone with a fair chance to achieve the “American Dream”. In todays society many Americans believe money is the only way to happiness. True or not true, money certainly isn't a hindrance to obtaining the necessary components for survival. But if the American Dream is no longer about happiness and freedom it becomes solely about wealth and possession. "Money cannot buy happiness." (Anonymous, Spring Board pg.81) represents the concept that money doesn't necessarily play apart in your emotional well-being. Today, materialism is more important than character. Money isn't everything; you don't need it to be happy and certainly not to achieve "The American Dream". In addition to that, although money can jump-start your future it can also drive you into the ground. Dana Gioia, the author of "Money", says "...Money holds heads above water..." Implying money plays a crucial part in keeping your dreams alive while America demands so much. Although finances are a building block to ones version of the

The American dream is a rhetoric of hope and mobility to reach the heights of economic sustainability that you wish to achieve. The idea is that the amount of effort you put forth will emanate the amount of success you can produce as a byproduct of American society. This concept however couldn’t be further from the truth, as many have tried to work up for years but only got slightly better at best then they say what they were nearly a decade ago. Many researchers have demonstrated that not only has the American Dream often times been influenced by our socioeconomic roots, but that to progress out of it is like a dime in a dozen. Since education provides students the material to move onto the larger job industry, and because the disparity between high school graduates and college graduate has increased so drastically, Americans are clamoring for college now more so than ever before. Student debt has been an issue that has kept many Americans in the lower end of the social class spectrum to miss out on utilizing college resources. Many financial aid programs have been established to attempt to decrease this tendency, particularly the Pell grant having the most success. Unfortunately, despite the initial success of the Pell grant program, it still has its limitations on how much help it can provide to underprivileged students. An incentive based scholarship program such as the Performance-based scholarships where attendance rates, passing classes, and student involvement

Despite working hard to achieve the American Dream and to have a prosperous and successful life in America the rising costs of college and housing as well as lower pay in some states creates debt for many Americans. Although other people around the world come to America to reach the American dream, but are halted by all of the costs that reside to become a part of it.

First, let's define "American Dream". "American Dream" is what you would consider a "perfect life." It can be full of happiness, money, love, food, cars, whatever you desire, everyone has a different opinion. One person’s American Dream may be totally different from someone else’s, that is what makes us all individuals. My American Dream would include a good job and lots of money, spare time for my family and I, and most importantly, healthiness.

Through everybody’s eyes is their own version of the American Dream. Whether it’s the stereotypical dream with a good job, a family, and a house with a white picket fence, or it could be just getting by at the end of the month financially. The American Dream doesn’t have a specific image but rather a particular mindset. Lots of people have a goal in their life that they have to work hard to be successful towards that goal, but in most cases that goal may be unrealistic.

The American dream has many meanings but only one that matters, which is having a job that you enjoy and appreciate and for your freedom to be known. The Public Broadcast Service published videos that explored the daily realities of the New York working class. One video followed the experiences of Walid Abdelwahab. He is a well known cart vendor working on the streets of New York city he traveled all the way from Egypt to succeed and have a better lifestyle. Walid has been vending all of his life to help support his family; however, he has faced many rigor moments but he still continues to work with a smile on his face, no matter what happens. This supports the existence of the American dream because he moved from a different country leaving everything behind so that him and his family can live a happy life.

We have come a long way from the publication of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. In hopes of change, colonies came together to declare independence against the British King for his indictments. The Declaration of Independence was made entirely opposing the Kings unfair motives, injustice of systems, and the absence of public services. For which these opposing actions towards the king, was the general idea to become the American Dream. That dream consists of equality, justice, and freedom. The dream of freedom is for everyone to say and do as they please regardless of sexual preference, religious believes, race and body image. Freedom is opportunities to educate oneself, to better them and their children’s future. But after

Many people have their own American Dream which has become their driving force and center of their life. However, not everyone can achieve their American Dream; it depends on many factors, such as income inequality, unstable social-welfare system, and different races. Based on the situation, Paul Krugman, the economic teacher at Princeton and the winner of Economics of the Nobel Prize in 2008, Tamara Draut, the director of the Economic Opportunity Program at Demos, and The Economist, a London-based weekly publication that is read by business, political and financial decision makers, all of them state a common point that it is harder and harder for people to achieve the American Dream now.

America historically owns the reputation of being the land of opportunity, and for generations immigrants have fled to the United States to experience the freedom and equality our government lays claim to. At the root of this reputation is the American Dream, the belief that with hard work anyone can succeed based solely on his or her merits. While definitions of success vary, the American Dream defines it as the ability to become a "self-made man," thereby rising to a more-than-comfortable state of living. The American Dream is believed to be blind to race, sex, or socio-economic status and at a first glance, seems to be almost Utopian. Conversely, repeated examples and statistics of the lower-classes, those continually facing the harsh

The American Dream isn't always a spouse of the opposite gender , kids, and a home. Although this may be for many ,for an immigrant is otherwise. Many latinos from Mexico, Central America, South America, have migrated to the United States in search for opportunities. The american dream is the belief that anyone regardless of where they were born can attain their own version of success.

The American dream is about working hard for what you are trying to achieve. The American dream comes from our past clear down to today and with influences it becomes a superior ambition. Even though the dream grows more throughout time; the dream is stronger and it’s easier to achieve what you want to have in this nation as a dreamer.

The American dream to me is being able to have rights and freedom to become an individual that you want to be. I believe it’s to achieve dreams you may have thought weren’t even possible. America is all about miracles and making things happen, nobody gives up if you really want it bad enough. You have to be a risk taker and know that things may not go exactly your way, but in America you make the best out of it.

The American dream is the idea that every person should have the chance to be successful in the United States. People from all over flocked to the US in hopes of achieving this American dream that everyone talked about; however, things were not quite as expected when they got here. The whole idea was gilded, so to speak. From the outside, everything looked perfect, but once these people settled down in America, they soon realized that it was not everything it had been made out to be.

This has led to a decrease in opportunities as more people become qualified for the same job. In a 2013 article analyzing the number of unemployed adults in America, Allie Bidwell explains, “The number of young adults in America who have full-time employment is currently at its lowest in four years, even for those workers who have a college degree, according to a recent Gallup survey” (Bidwell). Although Barack Obama has gone to extreme lengths since 2013 to improve the job outlook of young Americans, the availability of careers has not improved enough to be able to justifiably state that he solved the problem. It seems that more change is necessary, and that he is just masking the problem rather than addressing its roots. In order to productively analyze this dilemma, one must accept that there is a problem and that the job outlook in America is a problem. One must also believe the data from 2013 is still valid, and that this is still an issue that must be addressed. The pathos of this particular claim (that America’s diminishing job outlook calls for a change in our values and an acceptance that the “American Dream” is dead) is rooted in the idea that everyone should have the opportunity to achieve a fulfilling career if they work hard enough. Nobody would be satisfied with their children

The American dream is establishing a successful lifestyle through hard work, as opposed to working multiple jobs living in poverty. The American dream allows for someone to benefit themselves financially or gain a higher education. Having freedom to make choices is an aspect of the American dream because many countries struggle to maintain social justice and establish civil rights. The dream allows for job opportunity to become successful without discrimination. The American dream is a work in progress that constantly changes and needs to be revised to fit today’s standard of success.