Argumentative Essay On The American Nightmare

Some people think the Great Recession and rising income inequality spelled the end of the American Dream for many. But it only damaged the materialistic American Dream, which isn't achievable anyway.

American does not provide access to the dream for its citizens because of the battle to earn money, the struggle of immigrant and minority citizens, and the way society has categorized the dream. First, the battle to earn money has significantly affected people’s chance of being able to achieve the American Dream. In the article “Is the American Dream Still Possible?” by David Wallechinsky, the author tells what the American Dream is and gives a few stories about some people who had problems with the dream and explains why. In one of the stories the author says that “despite having a college education, Randy works for $9 an hour” and ”Cherie works for a greeting-card company for $7.35 an hour.”

Think about your goals that would lead you to your definition of the American Dream. Would you let economic differences ruin your dream, or work harder? The American Dream would be considered reaching your ultimate goal and having a stable life and job to provide for oneself and their family. Most people in our country think that the main reason why the American Dream is dying is because of income inequality. Income inequality can play a huge role in why people’s financial situations have a toll on their goals.

The “American Dream” is overrated. Let’s just face it, it is dead. Not only is this a dream that is almost lusted after by many Americans, this is a widely desired illusion that is far out of reach for most working class people. The American Dream is more than the lifestyle of white picket fences that hold backyard barbecues with your neighbors. It’s earning a living wage that creates a comfortable quality of life, having the security of retirement, and giving your children the opportunity to live a successful life.

As we unite as a union to define and better the American Dream we must identify and erase everything that is wrong with it. Right now we are separated and we must find ways to help

“Everyone always says that anything is possible, but some things in life just can’t be reached. Sometimes your dreams just can’t be achieved.” (Carl Johnson) All humans living in America have dreams. These could all easily be described as the American Dream. The American Dream can frequently change from time to time due to the time period. It can also change due to the age of the person at hand. Children grow up having these dreams, but who knows how long these dreams will last. Some elderly people develop new dreams or are still chasing to fulfill the dreams they’ve had since they were much younger. These dreams are all things that people want and desire to have. Some of these dreams are unrealistic and could never happen.

Today the “Dream” is more of a struggle for success. For some it’s a fantasy while for others, it is a long term goal. The media defines society today, thus it’s only natural that it defines the American Dream, one which is no longer focused on freedoms or liberty, but rather money and success. The American Dream not only calls for financial success but also emotional success.

Majority thinks that America is the land of opportunity, where the lower class has the ability to succeed and prosper; statistically the truth is less expectant. According to facts presently, the smallest percentage of Americans earns over $1,000,000. The next smallest percentage of Americans earn over $125,000. Meanwhile, the median income that Americans earn is $41,000. Any American can succeed with the right mind set. Facts also show that more Americans considered to be wealthy have earned it rather than inherited it. I come from a family that is considered to be working class. My parents didn’t own their first home until I was 15, and I am the youngest of four children. Hard work does pay off, and I have seen it.

Living in a nice home, a good neighborhood, and having nice cars is what most people think of as part of the American Dream. How are you supposed to get there though? Unless you're going to win the lottery you’re going to have to work in some form. Achieving the American Dream while earning minimum wage may take a person longer but it is still attainable. Through higher education or hard work individuals can achieve a higher standard of living.

“I think the American Dream used to be achieving one's goals in your field of choice - and from that, all other things would follow. Now, I think the dream has morphed into the pursuit of money: Accumulate enough of it, and the rest will follow” (“Buzz Aldrin Quotes”). The real American Dream is not an income level. The American Dream is the ability to rise through one's own work and improve the condition, no matter where the person started from. John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, and Cannery Row both contain characters that are misfits and outsiders who are lonely and are striving for the American Dream which they think is being successful by being rich, but the author guides people to understand that money is not the root of happiness and success is not necessarily based on being rich.

For many this dream soon becomes a nightmare. With the cost of living becoming so high and lack of medical care or job security, minimal pay and an expensive education system are just some the hurdles that people have to jump over to reach the American Dream. Therefore it is fair to say that it is almost impossible for numerous people to make a decent living. Many people in America are earning minimum wage which is $5.65 a hour, and contrary to popular belief, they are not middle-class teenagers working for gas money. Most minimum wage earners in the United States are adults, more than half are female, and about half work full time. (Epinet)

Also recently people are starting to say the American Dream is to own a home or a safe retirement, slowly breaking away from the original American Dream. Either way you look at it inequality is too great; this isn’t how the American Dream is supposed to be. One of the largest groups affected by the change in income inequality is women. They are trying to achieve the American dream but they are held back by income inequality created by the “Glass Ceiling”.

Is the American dream an impossible one? As financial inequality within the middle and lower class increases, this dream seems to remain just a dream. This farfetched idea of life will only become more difficult to reach as time passes. Unless change enters our government system, the nation will never move forward. To overcome this economic state, there needs to be much more done in favor of those who work hard every day to provide for themselves and loved ones. For it is these people who are being forgotten by the government, left for dead in society. Many readings and research will prove that the “American dream” is long gone, and maintaining it will not be easy if obtained. However, the effects of poverty expand beyond finances. People living

A person 's race determines whether they will achieve the American Dream. The median household income for whites is $58,270, the median household income for Hispanics is $40,963, and the median household income for

The graphs in the article depict a steady decrease in children making as much money as their parents, while this may be the case I think the career chosen by a child born in the 2000s has a big impact on salary. For example, after high school, I want to go to culinary school to become a pastry chef so I'm not expecting to make a lot of money. I also think, in the case of chefs, salary depends on one’s position in the kitchen, the location of the restaurant, and popularity of said restaurant. In my opinion the writer did not extend the definition of the American Dream. I do not think the american dream should be a dream of financial success, I think one should focus on what they enjoy rather than making money.