People The American Dream example essay topic

Is The American Dream Just A Dream? I think that the American Dream is a social ideal based on equality in social, political and economic rights and privileges. The constitution of this country suggests that every person who lives on American soil is free. In the United States' Declaration of Independence our founding fathers:'. .. held certain truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. ' I consider these words to be the foundation of the American Dream. Over time, however, the American dream has been defined with America being the Land of opportunity, Home of the free, land of the brave, wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world.

Now, success is what the American Dream is all about My parents came to this country in search of the American dream, Like them, many people are motivated by the promise of a better life, and so they come to this country, some for political or religious reasons, bust most come because of economic reasons, they are interested in making money. Many of these immigrants come to the United states risking their lives, in the hopes of living out the American Dream. After all, we live in a country which represents the large majority of the wealth and technology of the world, yet we make up about 5% of the world's population. I think we have a very strong economy, our currency is strong, for example: Almost every country outside of the United states accepts U. S currency, meanwhile, here in the U. S, we don't accept currency from other countries, For example, you can't buy a bagel with French currency. Many immigrants come to this country to escape the poverty of their own homeland. Immigrants that come to the U. S from communist countries such as cuba come to the United States because they want to be free people in a free society, where they would all have equal access to economic prosperity, unlike in cuba where g.

Many immigrants work in the U. S, and then send money back to their countries to support their family because back in their country, the U. S currency is stronger. On T. V, in the news... everywhere, you hear about or read that many immigrants have crossed the border of the United States of America in pursuit of the dream, which every American person thinks about - the American dream. Many of those immigrants sacrificed their jobs, their relationships and connections, their educational levels, and their languages at their homelands to start their new life in America and succeed in reaching their dream. So what is this dream all about?

I would probably describe it as being rich and famous, some would imply to have a lot of power; however, the personal definition of an American dream is the ability to have a personal freedom, being able to get the highest level of education, being successful in finding an appropriate job, to have a healthy and happy family, eventually to have an affordable place of living and reliable personal transportation. All these factors make up the American dream and exist as a goal for every person who is trying to reach it. The problem with the American Dream is the growing gap between rich and poor, which makes success a distant dream for those who are poor. I personally believe that the American economic system is designed to meet the needs of the upper class, and that it ignores problems of ethnic minorities. If things are so good here in America, why do so many Americans have it hard? Not everyone is successful in reaching the American Dream, I think that the only way everyone would have a chance to achieve the American Dream would be if there were no inequalities to hinder people's pursuit of the dream.

All the obstacles that present themselves, however, challenge the extent that the people commit themselves to the task of reaching that dream, some see no hope and give up. Sadly, 'The Dream' never has been within the reach of many poor Americans, regardless their efforts: recent structural changes in our economy add to the growing number of people cut off from this achieving this goal; the future of many more in a changing middle class is threatened. Americans face problems such as unemployment 675678546765! I found the following statistics that support my belief that the " American Dream" is not accessible to all.

The American Dream is a fantasy that has not come true for the millions that are toiling in the system hoping to get a piece of the wealth which America so liberally shares with its rich upper class. Mansions, expensive cars, a happy family and of course lots of money. These images adorn the minds of the less privileged of this nation. So why do people continue trying to reach the American dream? I think it's because it happens often enough, there are people who have been successful in their pursuit. But the American Dream has been achieved through a number of other means, many of which do not necessarily involve hard work.

Some just has to do with good luck or timing, for example, as in hitting real estate booms or stock market increases at the right time. Favorable contracts are another, as in those negotiated for workers by powerful unions and include high wages and extensive benefits. Legislative action is a third way, as in those sectors of society that disproportionately benefit from changes in tax laws or zoning ordinances. And, of course, unearned income, like when people work off the books and don't report their earnings or deal drugs. For many people the American dream becomes a nightmare.

The cost of living has become very high. A lack of medical care or job security, minimal pay and an expensive education system are some of the obstacles that people have to face in order to reach the American Dream. Therefore, I think it is fair to say that it is almost impossible for many people to make a decent living. Many people in America like myself, are earning minimum wage which is $6.00 an hour, and contrary to popular belief, they are not middle-class teenagers working for gas money. Most minimum wage earners in the United States are adults, more than half are female, and about half work full time.

According to the U. S Dept. of Labor, Both the number of unemployed persons, 7.7 million, and the unemployment rate, 5.2 percent, were unchanged in April. The jobless rate was down from 5.5 percent a year earlier. However, I don't see the change as drastic, it is hard to find a well-paying job that can keep up with the cost of living nowadays. Looking for statistics, I found that according to the U.S. Department of Human Resources, the average American, aged 65, has less than $2,500 in the bank.

The median income of a 65 year old American is less than $13,000 annually. Also, a recent article by the Associated Press said that 'most' of the upper income households in America had problems paying their 'necessary' bills last year (like house payments, utility bills, groceries etc). At the age of 65, only 1% of Americans are financially independent. Sixty-one percent (61%) are supported by family, friends or government programs and 38% are dead.

The average 18 year old has more disposable income than the average retired person who has worked for more than 40 years. I found those statistics interesting because it's a good indication that things have been this way so long that they " re accepted as being 'normal'. I don't think there is anything 'normal' about a person working for 40 years of their life and then winding up with no savings and an income that doesn't meet their basic living needs. Meanwhile, this year's high-school seniors here at Bryant will spend more money on prom and graduation supplies than the average retired person will spend on groceries for two months. In search of the American Dream, we embark on a 40+ year journey in which we will spend up to 60% of our waking hours away from the family for whom we " re supposedly doing it all. And all this is in hopes that one day, just one day, something is going to change.

But, 99% of the time, nothing does change. Thirty-eight percent of us wind up in the grave and 61% of us are unable to take care of ourselves. The American dream is too frequently a nightmare. Unfortunately, it's one that few can escape because they don't know how. We should thank God and our forefathers that we do live in a country where we have the freedom to choose.

It's up to each of us to exercise that choice. With America being seen as the land of the promise, the American dream is commonly associated with the freedom and opportunity of gaining wealth, fame, power, glory, and happiness. On the surface, this dream seems almost magical, offering people the chance of achieving success regardless of their race, religion, or family history. The American Dream is exactly what it appears to be, the opportunity of perfect lying just around the corner. After My research, I still stand by my belief. I think that the American Dream has some flaws, the presentation of the ideal of the American Dream can be interpreted in different ways.

I see two sides to the Dream; one is the idealized version, which shows that the Dream is about belief in infinite possibility, and that there are no limits to what can be achieved. This allows people to be free from whatever limits life imposes on them. However, another side is the materialistic side, which states that the American Dream is solely based on getting rich, the 'rags to riches' ideal. The 'rags to riches' legend has and continues to be a cornerstone of the American Dream.

The traditional message taught that through hard work, frugality, and self-sacrifice one could achieve financial success and social mobility. There are unquestionably many Americans who continue to abide by such tenets and in doing so are rewarded for their efforts. Yet there are also those who have come to believe that the American Dream's promise of riches is just that, a promise, and as such they feel entitled to instant financial success. Ultimately, most Americans would like to achieve the American Dream of financial independence. Yet it is the means to achieving it that are essential to the nation's ethical foundations. It seems that many Americans covet the easy road to the Dream and in the process undercut the core values that established the Dream in the first place.

BlibliographyAlice M. Riv lin: Reviving the American Dream: The Economy, the States & the Federal Government, (Washington: Brookings Institute, 1992.) Charles R. Geist: Visionary Capitalism: Financial Markets and the American Dream in the Twentieth Century, (New York: Praeger, 1990) Katherine S. Newman: Declining Fortunes: The Withering of the American Dream, (New York: Basic Books, 1993) Wallace S. Peterson: Silent Depression: The Fate of the American Dream, (New York: Norton, 1994).