What Does The American Dream Mean To Me Essay

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

All around the world the United States of America is viewed as a place of freedom and equal opportunity for all people who settle in the country. Immigrants, especially from second or third world countries, view America as a chance for them to start over and a live the lavish lifestyles they are accustomed to hearing. However, this belief that everyone in the United States lives how they want to and has equal opportunity is false. Immigrants from countries all over the world face many different issues as they settle in the United States. Although these problems may vary, the message is the same; the American dream is a lot more difficult to achieve than previously thought. Although every immigrant is different in the problems

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.

The American dream is all but a figment of the imagination that is unrealistic to attain since it is becoming harder and harder for any middle class to sustain itself in the middle or the poor society to prosper to the intermediate class. What once was possible is almost impossible to achieve success and wealth through hard work, persistence, and action. The top one percent of the American society is making it impossible for the lower class to hold on to hope for a better future. The richer are getting richer by remarkably increase profits. Yet, the lower class wages have either decrease in some sectors of employment or have remained stationary resulting in “income inequality. That is “…the extent to which income is distributed in an uneven manner among a population” (inequality.org). Today it is even more evident that the lower class is stuck, unable to go nowhere. Savings is almost none existence to the middle and poor classes yet, they are working harder than ever before. Fortunately by having a free democratic society take control over “wealth inequality” the economic difference can stabilize through unionization for all low-wage labor.

The American Dream is a dream to live in a place where someone’s rights and freedoms can not be taken away from them and where they can achieve their goals without anyone stopping them no matter what their background is. People achieved the American dream through motivation and hard work. Although as time passed, they became too lazy to actually work for it. Somewhere along the way, people began to interpret the American dream as a dream to live in wealth. Because of this, it has made them think that happiness is defined by how much money they have. They also started to find ways to get rich quick without working for it. Many people question whether or not the American dream is attainable or too far fetched. The American

There are many stories out there that one tends to hear about horrific tragedies that have occurred over the years, and one of the most devastating events that had happened was Hurricane Katrina. Dave Egger’s Zeitoun details the events and struggles of one man and his family, Abdurrahman Zeitoun during this devastation. In a time where everyone was panicking and rushing to find ways and areas where they can evacuate and stay safe from the storm, Zeitoun had remained constant about staying behind in order to protect those who remained and needed help. Regardless of how this impending doom was, he had chosen to remain because he knew there were people that would

The American Dream has been around for centuries. Whilst it may have been altered throughout time, it is still a part of the American life that many people have thought about. The American Dream may be viewed differently, but is generally the same for all; being high on the social “ladder,” with lots of money. “How people achieve this dream has changed, but the basic principles of it haven’t” (The American Dream: The Quest for a

As people of the United States, since we were first formed, we have stood up and put our hands over our hearts for those who have lost their lives for our country. We do this at many important places such as sporting events, first thing in the morning at schools, memorials, parades, etc. Over time, some of us have stopped standing and or putting our hand over our hearts and holding up fists instead. Is this a shocking issue? We, as people, are not technically required to recite the pledge, but it is socially expected. We are to live the American dream. Being free, pursuing any job and life choice that we choose. Every. Single. Day. Ever since preschool or kindergarten, we are supposed to stand up, say the pledge and do it with our hand over

The american dream is the ideal lifestyle that everyone is trying to reach. It is, by definition, the belief that everyone in the US has the chance to be successful and happy if they work hard (Cambridge,2018). The american dream came to be by Historian James Truslow Adams first popularizing the idea of the American dream in a book he wrote (Oeonline, 2018). In today’s day in age, the american dream is often perceived as a life where you work hard to put food

The American Dream is created by a person achieving happiness, fulfilling life goals, and prospering through hard work and determination. It changes throughout history, mainly through how media and society pursue the Dream to be. The structure of today’s society has warped the meaning of it, and placed a different direction behind the whole concept. The Dream itself is still alive, but the cynical twist to it could make most doubt the existence of what it really means.

Achieving the American Dream has been the ideal for people living in the United States of America for thousands of years. The American dreams vary from person to person. Many people believe being famous and rich is an American Dream, as for some living in a big house on a farm with a wraparound fence this their “American Dream”,

My definition of the “American Dream” means is that everyone should have equal opportunities to success. Everyone should have equal opportunities success no matter what religion, race, skin tone you are because everybody is equal. The American Dream has helped us Americans because without it, people wouldn’t have equal rights as we do today because it the American Dream didn’t exist until 1931. Now that we have it us Americans have equal opportunities to success.

Imagine a person having what they call the “perfect life” after ploughing through his or her tough times and sticking to it and working hard after moving to America. This phenomenon is called the American Dream. Being called this due to the freedom of opportunity for prosperity and success, the American Dream is considered to be full of happiness, love, laughter, and anything one could ever hope for in life. In James Adams’s book The Epic of America, he describes the American Dream as " a vision of a better, deeper, richer life for every individual, regardless of the position in society which he or she may occupy by the accident of birth” (qtd. in Samuel). Since the birth of American, the driving force for choice has always been the

Some people who became American didn't always have the perfect life, especially when it is taking place by individuals who struggled their whole life in a disadvantaged society. As a matter of fact they migrate to the United States so they can live their dream and to be able to acquire being called an American. Not only do they move, but also abandon everything in their old home, and move to the United States to start a new life. Sometimes children are left behind so their parents can come to the land of dreams. Due to that the many children are left without their parents in their life's. Therefore, the American dream is necessary for them because they don't have many things in their hands, such as clothing, wealth, an opportunity in life and a different lifestyle. They also look at many Americans in some countries and assume everything is simpler in the United States. Therefore, the desire of being an American can provoke into having various emotions. Occasionally when they don’t feel like they have reached their target, they may receive it in as their way of life is gone and turnover on their dream. But that’s not what an American is, an American is someone who is hardworking, shows patriotism to their country and freedom.