The Inequality Of The American Dream

    The American Dream is a lifelong objective that many Americans aim for. This Dream is not the same for every person in the United States, and throughout the course of American history, it has changed gradually. From the beginning of time, the dream was to own land and to live off of it, but now it has branched out into so much more.  According to Google Dictionary the American Dream is “the ideal that every U.S. citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” This is not always the case because though Americans work for what they have and to be where they are, the American Dream is not always attainable. Some believe that the American Dream is just a dream and sometimes it is, but it can also be a reality. To attain the reality of the “dream” there are obstacles that differ for everyone. Of these challenges are wealth, gender, inequality, race, and social class. The American Dream can remain a dream or become a lifestyle depending on the hard work one is willing to put in.

Today in America, some think the American Dream is fictional, and is exactly what it sounds like; just a dream. But the American Dream is achievable, and has been since the birth of this great country. The American Dream is an individualized goal that a person has which is usually very tough to achieve, but all have a chance to work toward it because of opportunities like high level education, jobs, and especially an equal chance to achieve one's desired life. America still provides access to the American Dream because regardless of background, current financial status, or race, the American Dream is achievable with hard work.

What is the “American Dream” everyone talks about? The term “American Dream” was first coined by a historian named James Truslow Adams. This term is used to describe the America way of life. It describes how every U.S. citizen should have equal opportunities and the freedom to be able to achieve their passions and dreams while completely disregarding the social class. It is also the importance of economic security and wellbeing which is being able to have the resources and tools to live a comfortable. Also stated in the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equally” with the right of “life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (U.S, 1776). Is the American Dream attainable? I believe that the American Dream is what individuals think about the United States and how in this country they would be able to get a job, and be able to fulfill their dreams. I also think that the dream of ours was once achievable, but not anymore. The American Dream is slowly dying. There are many sociological concepts which help us support the idea why it is vanishing.

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.

The book called They Say I say with Readings contains multiple articles. However, chapter nineteen focuses on the American Dream. Chapter nineteen, “What’s Up with the American Dream?” indicates how the article will be focusing on the American Dream. The American Dream changes over the course of time as the income inequality widens between the higher and lower class. Few events occurred that affected the income, which led to a growing gap between the different classes. The income of a person depends on the education that a person possesses, which can affect one’s income. Consequently, causing inequality between the different classes. People believe the American Dream changes over time as situations and circumstances vary. Health care is affected by the income inequality because different choices of insurances and doctors are available to those with specific incomes. The impact of the Income Inequality on the American Dream by the gap increasing between higher and lower class, education, interpretation of the American Dream over time, health care, and gender roles. Various authors from chapter nineteen and others from different resources focus on how income inequality affects the American Dream.

The American Dream is one of those terms that people refer to when talking about immigration, financial status, and so much more. But what does the term really refer to? People used to think of the American Dream as financial prosperity, religious and financial freedom, and all around success. Now, the term may mean something similar, but people are much less focused on it. If anything, the American Dream today is focused on gaining material goods and proving your bank account is larger than your neighbors. With today’s economy, laws and regulations, immigration customs, and overall attitude towards work, people are seldom focused on achieving the American Dream.

The American dream, for most people, is exactly that – A dream. It’s make believe, fiction. It’s what we think American should be like, not what it actually is. The American dream will always be out of reach for common people. The majority of people I interviewed said something along the lines of, “the American dream is to be given a chance to do something or be something you want to be.” This opinion seems to be too optimistic. Everyone wants more than what they have. It’s not enough to be given the chance, you have to succeed. What it takes to succeed is an entirely different aspect of the American dream.

The American Dream, or the possibility of a better life, has become difficult but not impossible to achieve as people are not receiving a high enough education for some jobs as most cannot afford it due to low incomes.

What is the American Dream? For most, it can be summed up in three words: comfort, happiness, and future. It is the term used to describe the 'perfect' lifestyle that most American citizens and immigrants wish to achieve: a loving family, stable financial status, and the opportunity to save for their family's future. It is described as "the belief that hardworking Americans" can live comfortable lives and provide for their children's future "and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire" (Wallechinsky 64). Rising costs of living (including healthcare and insurance costs), an unstable job market, and skyrocketing prices of higher education are making the ideal lifestyle look a lot less achievable. The ideal American life is not still accessible because those who come from a privileged life or are able to get a high-wage job can achieve it, but because of the change in the economy and job market, it may not be accessible to all.

What is the American Dream and is it still achievable? If it is still achievable, then how can the American Dream be achieved? The American Dream is the idea that every United States citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work. The American Dream provides unequally for the modern-day society of the United States by limiting the types of people can achieve this dream and an example of which would be that someone that is a homosexual would have a lesser chance of getting a job than an average heterosexual but can still be achieved by the homosexual community. The American Dream is still achievable because those who work hard with determination can achieve it.

In the past, the American dream was a destined form of living. Today, however, the American dream is what it sounds like, a dream. The American dream is "...based on the belief that hardworking citizens can better their lives..." so they can, "...pay their monthly bills..." and, "...give their children a start to an even better life..."(64). However, the cost of everyday items and taxes puts a restriction on the 'American Dream'. The American Dream is not still accessible because those who work more than one jobs can sometimes achieve it, and those who spend their whole income can sometimes reach it, but because the focus has shifted to monetary value, it may not be accessible to all.

“However you want to define the American dream, there is not much of it that’s left anymore”-Bob Herbert. The American Dream has existed for centuries; however, for some Americans, the dream is already dead. People hope for a better future, but it is difficult when they aren’t given a chance to strive. I believe the American Dream is not achievable to everyone and is slowly drifting away.

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.

People are poor in the world and people have to turn to Crime just to stay alive. We see this everyday in the south side of Chicago, Brooklyn New York, and Detroit Michigan. This is spreading like wildfire. People are being judged based on their income. People in the book Les Miserables were affected by this because people were judged based on their income level. In Les Miserables JVJ and Fantine are affected by social inequality they need money to survive but they don't so they face consequences. In Inequality is Killing the American dream they said that being poor leads to crime increase and being segregated by income. In addition, it says that people are being judged based on their income and how rich they are. People are expected to make