American Dream Changes From Generation To Generation example essay topic

Brandy Barefoot. Williams English 112-21-31-02 The American Perspective The basic idea of the American Dream generally has stayed the same throughout time, although the majority of Americans seem to take the Dream for granted. The first settlers arrived to the New World in search of a treasure: life, liberty, and freedom. This treasure was and still is the American Dream. Now people from all over the world come to America in search of the same Dream; some even die trying. People were not as materialistic as people are now; they just wanted happiness.

As time passed, people became more materialistic and began to take for granted what they were born with. For example, when my papa was a teenager he purchased his first car with cash. Everyone paid for almost everything they got with cash, not credit like they do today. Almost everything today revolves around having credit. Most of the richest people in our state could not go to the bank and withdraw a couple hundred thousand dollars; they would have to borrow the money based on their credit. Although, there are many people that are very mis fortunate and have hardly anything, their idea of the American Dream would be much simpler than that of someone who is middle or upper class.

Almost a week ago my boyfriend and I were leaving Crabtree Valley mall. It was a pretty cold and rainy day, the kind of day that we would rather be at home cuddled up on the couch watching television, but we were shopping. As we were leaving the mall we came to a stoplight. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tiny old woman kneeling by the corner of the curve. She was Barefoot 2 holding a ragged cardboard sign that read "homeless, need food".

A doleful feeling took over my body, and I thought to myself, what would her idea of the American Dream be? Would it be to own her own home or have a fancy car, I think not. By this time, her dream would be a bit simpler. The American Dream changes from generation to generation along with technology and obstacles.

With each generation that passes a whole new era arrives; one with higher demands and stresses of everyday life. The American Dream becomes more distorted and complex through time. The more we get, the more we want. What ever happened to being content and happy with what one has as long as they are healthy and safe? With each passing year people are becoming more materialistic and less grateful.

My dad never had a hamburger when he was a child. A hamburger for him was like caviar to me. His family could not afford such a food. It was a food for the wealthy. Now hamburgers cost proximally fifty-nine cents and can be obtained from almost any fast food chain. As time changes, so do the wants of the people.

Most people in their fifties and sixties want peace, love and happiness, this generation wants money, money and more money at almost any expense. It seems as if everything is centered on money and materialistic objects in one way or another. I have never actually thought about how old I was until about two weeks before Christmas. I was watching the afternoon news when a story about what little kids wanted for Christmas was on. I was astounded to see that children at the age of ten wanted pagers and cell phones. I could not imagine having a pager at only ten years old.

But that is how times have changed. Barefoot 3 As time changes so does technology. Medical advances have proved miracles, what once thought were deadly diseases, now are mere common colds. The American dream is easier to obtain thanks to increasing technology.

Many people, who may have died in the forties with an incurable disease, are now living healthy lives thanks to a new drug or may be even an artificial heart. These technological advances change with time and knowledge. America, which is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, is one of the reasons everyone refers to the phrase "the American Dream". Diseases such as aids and cancer are no longer immediately taking the lives of millions.

Thanks to new technology these people are living longer and happier lives. The medical field is not the only profession that is enhanced by technology, they are many. The automotive industry, educational systems, political system, and health care fields are just a few. One of the most important advances is the rise of technology in the agriculture industry. We are finding faster and safer ways to produce food, which makes buying, growing and selling food more economical for society. Without new and improving technological advances in agriculture, we would probably still be using mules and plows to disk land.

Which impedes on the supply and demand of agriculture products. Moreover, the rise in technology helps not only farmers but everyone involved in the agriculture industry strive to achieve their idea of the "extended American Dream". No matter what one's idea of the American Dream is, there are always obstacles that must be faced. Any dream is deemed achievable if one works hard enough. There Barefoot 4 are many factors that can hinder one from reaching the American Dream. With each passing generation, it seems the problem with drugs and violence is getting worse.

Children are dying for no reason, except for the fact of peer pressure and lack of knowledge about the consequences of drugs and violence. Furthermore, by using the power of education we increase our knowledge of fighting against drug abusers, sellers and the violence. This problem is a vicious obstacle that we as Americans must encounter at one point or another in our life times in order to achieve our endeavors. Further, the economy is another major obstacle that we each must face. As individuals we can not control the fluctuations of the economy nor can we control the effect it has on our lives and our dreams. But we can rationalize our ideas of what the true American Dream is and be thankful for what we have.

On September 11, 2001, those who do not know what it is to live a life full of life, liberty, and freedom; threatened the American Dream. By realizing this tragedy we appreciate what a fortunate nation we live in. Until the eleventh of September, no one really thought much about what it is to be American until news stories were flashing were shown in array about the freedom other countries such as the one that threatened our American Dream did not have. We really need to put the American Dream into perspective.

The question comes to mind "What would the American Dream be if we did not have life, liberty and freedom?" There would be no such idea as "the American Dream". We would be identical to almost any third world country world that does not have these rights. No nice; owned home; no two cars in the garage; no vacations; no Barefoot 5 anything. We would only have hopes of maybe one day living in a world where one can have freedom of spirituality and self, not to mention life, liberty and freedom.