Way To The American Dream Success example essay topic

It seems as though much of the people during the decade of the 80's sought to be financially secure before anything else. Money was the way to everything, and without it, nothing could be attained. It was the building block to everything else they did, and could determine much of what your life would represent. Though this appeared to be the majority, it was not true for 100% of the people during the time. To some, such as women, politics was the way to the American Dream... success, happiness, and contentment. For many, the American Dream was to be successful in life, raise a family, get married, and live happily ever after.

But the question that lurked throughout the decade was "how" to achieve that. For my subject, my father, his main goal was to get educated in order to move up in the business world, get to a point where he could make a sufficient enough salary to support a family, buy a home, and live in happiness. That was his dream, his goal. Looking at his case, before he could attain money, he needed the education. Yet the main idea of his goal was to reach the money, and things would escalate from there. He would soon be able to support a family and live as an American family.

When you hear it said that the 80's was about material possessions... money, etc., you might be lead to believe the wrong thing. Yes most people needed money during the time, but it wasn't to buy foreign cars or 65" TV sets. It was to ensure your family and yourself of a future, somewhere to be in five years. It was an effort that was driven by emotion and will and a want to succeed. That is how I see it. I do not see it as it appears on the exterior, which is a money hungry craze.

Because I think during that time, people were not so worried about having the fancy car, or having the huge house. Having a loving family and a house to come home to is luxury enough, and says more than a car ever could. For some, such as another subject interviewed who was a young woman during the 80's, it appeared as if the American Dream was more self focused, but at the same time, targeted toward their "kind". Of course I am referring to those women who were still promoting the issue of equal treatment for women and the entire women's recognition issues. To this group of American citizens, the American Dream came through recognition, and through that recognition, establishing themselves as individuals... successful individuals.

The same thing many like my father did through education and working. Politics was the way to success. Because they felt as if they were an undermined piece of American Society, to achieve what they saw as their American Dream, what would make them happy, they would operate through politics, be heard by everyone, and establish themselves as more then an ordinary person. they would distinguish themselves as something of importance on this Earth... something of substance. I feel this approach to achieving the American dream was especially from deep down inside the people if affected. They went to heights un-imaginable to some to be recognized, and to begin to live a life, un discriminated upon, and one that they would lead to their own liking. It was work, but a different kid of work.

It wasn't a "job" per say, because you worked for no one but yourself. It was work from the heart. Work they felt needed to be done in order to ensure their American Dream... their success... their life as Americans. I observed two American Dreams in the discussions of our group, but both seemed to come down to the same idea. The American Dream isn't the same thing for everyone, it is something you work to achieve that will help you to grow and live a successful life. Think the "American Dream" is a term that applies individually to every one person.

Yes, some can have the same general idea, but deep down inside, they " re all different. Everyone wants success, that is what's perceived as the American Dream, its how you attain it that matters. For me, the American Dream of this decade, amongst people my age is to get rich without working hard. Most teens my age think that the money is just going to come, and they won't have to do a thing to get it.

That is what they foresee for themselves in the future. It's a shame that so many people think this because when it comes time for them to achieve this dream, without motivation, a job, or a foundation to their life, because they took everything prior so lightly, the American Dream will be nothing but a dream. This idea that my generation has as the American Dream shows me exactly what my society is like, It shows me just how lazy and dependent Americans have become. Itis kind of disappointing to see because as an individual, I don't see myself that way. I've been working for three years, I play multiple sports, I do well in school, and it's because Iam aware of my priorities and what I want to do in life.

I have been raised to know what to expect as I grow, and know enough that I will need to work to make money, and to succeed, just as anyone will / does, whether they realize it or not. This is what I see as the American Dream, but it, in my opinion, is not concrete by any means. I think as I said before, it is such a general term. You ask me what my individual opinion is, and it could differ from that of every other kid my age.

I think the American Dream is always changing for everyone. And I think a lot of how it changes depends on what society is like, and what the times bring. If money is abundant in one decade, people dream of having extreme material possessions. Yet if money is low, people dream of having money. The American Dream is almost what you see yourself having, that at that time you do not have. You always want what you don't have.

That isa true generalization that applies to every person on earth. Some can cope with the fact that they cant have everything, some can't and will get everything they want. To achieve the American Dream... your "American Dream", you have to have motivation, a reason to achieve something. People in the past did, and have proven it so. Hopefully, we, Generation X, will do the same, and not sit back and watch our dreams fade away.