Impact Of The Income Inequality On The American Dream

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.

In 2000, the poverty rate among children was 16.2% (Reef 253)! Poverty is a relevant issue that isn 't going away. It 's ruining minds and lives at the same time. Poverty changes how people view the American Dream, achieve the American Dream, and even affect how people 's brains work and develop.

What is the American Dream? Is it home ownership, gaining fame or wealth, having a great family or is it gaining a peace of mind? Many people have different versions of what the American Dream is, some people believe the dream is lost, and some people are right in the middle and still believe the American Dream is still alive. “The American Dream” by Brandon King debates about what the true state is left in the American Dream now. Throughout the essay, King asks if the American Dream is dead, alive, on hold or just changing due to economic hardship. King believes that the American Dream is still alive even though there are people who believe it's not, and is defined today as the ability to work hard, plan for the forthcoming and have a

We have all heard of this intense rollercoaster ride that we are on called the American Dream. The term was coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931 defining it as “dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement.” Since it’s arrival, the Dream has evolved from a pursuit towards “freedom, mutual respect, and equal opportunity” (Shiller) to later one of greed described by Shiller as being “excessively lustful about homeownership and wealth” beginning in the 1960s. Traditionally, the American Dream included features of a nuclear family, that is one with a breadwinning father, a housewife, and two kids, owning a white picket fence home, thriving without financial worries, and a happy family. There has been a shift in focus for the Dream caused by the Millennial generation and in turn they have included features that place an emphasis on equality in all aspects of their lives from family life to the workplace placing their own twist on the Dream. The American Dream has evolved over time to include equal opportunities, college education, and happy family.

Over the years this belief has changed its meaning to describe the United States as a land of equal opportunities. Through the American Dream, all men are equal to pursue their dreams and opportunities through hard work by being presented with an equal opportunity. This belief, therefore, means that if Americans work hard to achieve what they want, then they can get it. However, in the past few decades, the American Dream has grown to become a myth since American citizens are not presented with equal opportunities in this regard. In the documentary ‘requiem for the American dream, '-by Noam Chomsky, the narrator presents reasons why the American Dream is far from being attained, by describing ten principles why the American dream has not been attained so far. I am in complete agreement with Chomsky that the American dream has not been achieved. Noam presents issues that each citizen should think about critically. Wealth and power in the United States have been concentrated to a few people leaving the rest with lesser opportunities to achieve their dreams. As a result, there has been a growing inequality between the wealthy and the rest of the population. The American Dream is a myth because of the inequalities viewed in wealth distribution caused by huge gap in wages, the kind of leadership elected into office, and the structure of the US economy.

Brandon King, a law student who majored in political science, writes on topics of inequality and political structures in the United States. One of his published works, The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?, debates his interpretation of the notion of the American Dream and whether the concept is dead, alive, or on hold. The speaker emphasizes his belief that the common phrase is still alive within America and that one must work hard in order to achieve it. When it comes to the topic of the American Dream, King will eagerly agree that the idea is still alive and thriving in the minds of Americans; however, I deem that the idea is on hold within American society due to lack of upward social position and economic mobility.

Throughout the years knowledge and culture has been passed down within generations. Elders within the community often teach life lessons to the young adults growing up in the neighborhood. This idea still holds true today, especially in low-income communities. People from different socioeconomic backgrounds live different lifestyles they also have different opportunities made available to them. Because of this idea, people with a higher social standing have an advantage over those in lower class standings. Social classes divide the people of our nation and have existed for as long as we can remember. The American Dream created the American nation that we know today. The dream itself is different for each individual. Money plays a major part in the American Dream because to be successful in America means to bear great wealth. We live in a nation, in which money controls our very existence. “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara creates an argument about society’s unfairness that involves financial opportunities by revealing the differences in living environments between upper class and lower class.

In the essays “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” by Brandon King and “Confronting Inequality” by Paul Krugman, the authors discuss a wide variety of ideas that affect or maintain the idea of income inequality in America today. In the essay by Brandon King, he clearly states that the values of the American Dream are still alive today, but are getting harder and harder to achieve for the average person. King argues that the American Dream of today has drastically changed from what it used to be, and that the thought of being successful only lays within having a steady life with little to no struggle. However, in “Confronting Inequality”, Krugman has a different approach on the topic, arguing that the American Dream is no longer alive. Krugman states that the rise of income inequality will also lead heavily to social inequality, and that the rise of income inequality is a huge cause of social inequality as well. The two authors use a majority of viewpoints and methods to explore the same topic of inequality. However, there are also many ways in which both authors offer different sides of the argument and how it should be handled.

The American Dream is not accessible to all because of higher costs of living and a struggling economy. "[Many] average Americans are struggling – squeezed by rising costs, declining wages, credit card debt, and diminished benefits" (Wallechinsky 64). Not everyone is able to lead a comfortable life, and therefore, there is an increasing lack of accessibility of the perfect life. Many Americans claim that "they’ve experienced either increased health-care costs...and ...have had cuts in their

The American Dream is the national ethos that people’s lives would better and more abundant with many opportunities. Although the “American Dream” is still possible, many minorities, a vast portion of people in middle class, are affected by the lack of social mobility see the realization of the American Dream because of the advantages upper class have like being more wealthy. With money, the upper class can affordable anything they like high tier education in privates or better health insurance. This is a problem because not everyone in the world have the same chance to succeed. In “ LA’s Crisis: High rents, low pay, homelessness rising, and $2000 doesn’t buy much” by Steve Lopez and “Class in America -2012” by Gregory Mantsios share how the lack of mobility affects many individuals in the world. In conclusion, low income individuals are suffering within our society because of

Here, in the United States, the “American Dream,” is a popular belief. There is a strong relationship between hard work and success. In this perfect scenario, those who put in multiple hours are on the road to success and can move up the social ladder. Thus stating, one could be thrust into the lowest of the social status, and with some hard work, one can elevate into the world of the social elite. As a demonstration to this global view of the United States, immigrants from all over the globe have made the excursion to the “land of opportunity” in beliefs of better education, employment, government, communities, religious freedom, and lives for not only themselves but the generations that come pursuing behind them. All of this survives based on a game of social stratification – a diagram on how to successfully obtain the American dream. This observation of social class is based on many mechanisms, some of which is bestowed to people at birth, and not rewarded for hard work and dedication. The class system at play in the United States has become incredibly complex – it no longer has the fundamental class values of our forefathers. Those trying to move up in the social ladder of America are often caught replication the actions of the rich and famous, but this alone cannot make them part of the higher social class. Some think that there are simple rules to follow to climb higher into another social class ladder, but there is more to being upper class than just talking the talk or having the right identity.One way to look at class is the model developed by Janny Scott and David Leonhardt's article, “Shadowy Lines That Still Divide,” in The New York Times. They assert that “one way to think of a person’s position in society is to imagine a hand of cards. Everyone is dealt four cards, one from each suit: education, income, occupation and wealth, the four commonly used criteria for gauging class” (Scott and Leonhardt 27). While being sure on these four criteria, a basic understanding of a person’s predicted class can be made. While this model works fine for providing an elementary level of perception, it must be recognized that a person could rate well on this scale and still be in a different class than those

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”.

When people think of the American Dream, most think of the good that arises with it. They don’t consider the hardships and obstacles one must overcome. Many immigrants come to America in hopes of accomplishing their dreams and aspirations, and if they can’t, maybe their children can. Haspel debates how “The U.S. has changed drastically in the last several decades. The middle class, which was the heart of the American Dream, is dwindling, and the disparity of wealth among social classes continues to grow.” (41) This defends the popular phrase “The rich get richer while the poorer get poorer.” In essence, the American Dream can be viewed as the aim to climb the economic ladder. As the economic gap between the different social classes grow, it becomes harder for certain groups to see the American Dream as an attainable goal. The American Dream entails a variety of opportunities, and it is hard for minorities to grasp such opportunities with limited resources. Haspel also debates that “Another issue contributing to the decay of the American Dream is the country’s changing family

Do you think the American dream is still a concept today? If so, is it still possible to achieve this American dream? The American dream can be described as the success of life, and the goals achieved. Sometimes, these dreams can not be achieved due to obstacles. In this case, obstacles such as inequality. Many may view America has the land of opportunity and the greatest nation ever due to our vast diversity and freedom, but is this thought to be true in America itself? There has been many cases of people facing inequality in history. Examples of inequality were unequal rights against African Americans, against women, and one that is more common today is the income inequality. Inequality makes it so the people who are made to be inferior have many obstacles to face, such as racism or being degraded as humans. African Americans were slaves and women did not get equal opportunity compared to men. Although inequality may seem like a thing in the past, many still face it today. Inequality limits a person from succeeding in his or her life, and puts a great struggle upon them.

When one thinks of the “American Dream,” notions of unconditional patriotism and pride fill their mind, as if ‘red, white, and blue’ is coursing through their veins. In this metaphorical scenario, one is so enveloped in this idea of the “American Dream,” that ‘red, white, and blue’ is siphoning oxygen and blood from their brain, and they can no longer think clearly.