Consumerism: Edward Bernays The Epic Of America

An article by Jenniffer L. Hochschild decribes the American dream as follows, “The idea of the American dream has been attached to everything from religious freedom to a home in the surbubs...a world where anything can happen and good things might.” (15). In her book, Hochschild portrays the speaker’s, the little girl in the short story, American dream, which she is unlikely to ever achieve due to her present circumstances. The

After World War II, America had to take a step back and take a look at their country. The American Dream had been restored upon the atrocities of the war. In the 1930’s the American Dream was primarily focused on working hard, men providing for their families, and trying to rise from the depression. In the 1940’s, post World War II things changed and consumerism and feminism began to play a key role along with many other factors. There are many ways to describe the American dream and what aspects were influential to it, such as World War II, modernism, new technology and entertainment.

The American Dream has held a special place in the hearts of patriots since the very founding of America in 1776. It has been a subject of many authors who grapple with its attainability, and is a beacon of hope gazed upon by victims of circumstance. The Dream has been interpreted by great minds in various ways, and has been deemed both an evil deception and a great promise of a better life. However, the American Dream has morphed from this promise of opportunities and second chances--in fact, it has become viewed as a cause for societal competition and the reason for decreasing happiness among the American people. As Americans attempt to “achieve their goals,” and “keep up with the Joneses,” they subject themselves to the materialistic cycle of greed. Success, and the goal of the American Dream, has been redefined. To be put simply, the American Dream is now to be richer than one’s neighbor, despite the fact that happiness--and thus, the Dream--cannot be achieved solely through wealth and material goods.

Thesis Statement: The achievement of the American Dream, represented by social classes and opportunities available for social advancement, is unrealistic. The American Dream is propaganda for capitalism, rooted into the minds of believers that are used for labor. Capitalism’s fixed social classes leave no room for immigrants or for the hopeful to move up towards material success and wealth.

Over time, The American Dream has changed in an innumerable amount of ways. Past civilizations have laid the foundation for what we view it to be today. In the 1970s, people looked at a variety of aspects such as culture, political affairs (government), one’s appearance, and entertainment to fit their definition of “The American Dream”. The 1970’s helped shape and influence what people regard as the current American Dream.

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.

American Literature has never ceased to reveal what this land has to offer and the idea that you get out of it what you put into it. The idea that you could have freedom, opportunity, and the ability to make money became known as the American dream. People wanted this dream to become their reality, no matter the cost or who stood in their way. On the other hand, it was obscure to those who had never experienced it before, including some within our own walls. Authors from decades past give us insight as to what both of those worlds look like.

The term “American Dream” is one of the triggers that lead to the shores of the USA many thousands of immigrants, it had a deep meaning for them, and it was first introduced to us by an American writer and historian James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book called “The Epic of America”, where he gives the definition of the term how he said “The American Dream”, by saying

Throughout history, many works of American literature have highlighted not only the American Dream, but also the paradox that comes with it. With the American Dream will always come criticism. Someone will always find a problem with another person taking advantage of the opportunities given to him or

As time has went on the meaning of the American Dream has altered. When Adams trademarked the term the American Dream, the idea of it was for people to become “better and richer and fuller,” (Adams 412), but now as 20th century inventions have been introduced to society the dream has changed. People want what others have and what is portrayed as glamorous and prestigious. A prime example is Gary Soto’s recollection of his childhood obsession with wanting to be like the families he saw on the television saying, “I very much wanted to imitate [the families from Leave It to Beaver and Father

The “American Dream” is the popular notion where prosperity awaits in America if one is willing to put in the hard work. Upholding the mantra that “all men are created equal”; the “American Dream” states that freedom is enjoyed by everyone and success is achievable by anyone regardless of their initial birth circumstances. (Adams, 1931) Having attained the status would mean a reputable education for one’s children and a comfortable living after retirement. (Samuel, 2012) These ideas were subconsciously fed to the public through television, movies and advertising campaigns. In the 1920s, advertisements changed its approach from focusing on the product to the consumer. Using eye-catching art to attract the attention of the masses,

Consumerism plays a significant role in modern day American society. We have an almost inherent need to establish happiness based upon our purchases and assets. The American middle class is a segment of consumer that many companies seek to court. The relatively moderate to high level of disposable income and purchasing ability in this particular demographic is hard fought for by companies. This leads the notion that companies are vying for their products and goods to be purchased and establish brand loyalties in highly competitive market industries. Markets ranging from general retail stores, car manufacturers, airlines, clothing, energy services, and even healthcare markets must compete for consumer business.

Propaganda of the American dream in the earlier parts of our country was promoted through the ideas of our government and the known ability to be free. This eventually evolved into propaganda by entertainment such as posters, newspapers, film and anything that would reflect on a large audience . In this day in time, we get most of our propaganda through television. The cause of this is the increase in popularity of watching television or films over reading books. If this were not happening people may get their view of the American dream through literature ranging from the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin to Mark Twain's “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, which promote the American Dream as it was intended. So, the role of American Films acting on the thoughts of Americans is changing just as quickly as technology, for retrieving information at least. Knowing this, the propagandist role of the American dream through film

One of the greatest attributes Americans take for granted is the amount of opportunities and possibilities they are presented with living in this free nation. Compared to other countries, America has always been the most appealing to outsiders because of the perpetual American Dream. In America, the capitalistic environment minimizes the number of external sources influencing an individual's success. Therefore, a person has the power to control their own destiny and creates this idea of a dream where a person’s success is solely dependent on their work ethic and desire. This is the glorified American Dream; the propaganda that is used to make our country seem dignified above the rest. However, as many people have found out the hard way, the dream does not always turn out to be reality. In reality, it is likely a forgone premise that is publicized to create an illusion that America is still the land of equal opportunities and wealth. As evident in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby, several of the characters discover that the Dream is not all that it is advertised to be. The American Dream cannot be always be achieved, and factors in more than just work ethic and one’s desire to succeed.

In 1931, a man by the name of James Truslow Adams wrote a book titled,“The Epic of America”. In his book, Adams wrote about American success and its origins. It is here that the term “the American dream” was popularized. For some, the American dream is synonymous with success. For others, it is the opportunity to achieve success. These perspectives on the phrase have changed throughout history. Travelers across the globe look to the United States as the land of opportunity; to live “the American dream”. From the origins of the U.S.A to the modern day, the definition of the American dream has not changed. However, the perception of what that dream is, and the standard of living people have strived toward, continues to transform with time.