Blog #2: A Fleeting Hope

The United States is a beautiful country, full of creative and unique individuals who each individually bring something new to the table. We are all different, yet, in some ways, we are all the same. We are all similar because we each have an American Dream, but we are all different because each of our dreams are incredibly unique. For some, the American Dream is nothing more than a dream where one can successfully start and take care of a family. For others, the American Dream is about financial success and climbing up the social rankings. Each dream is different, but each dream matters.

As explained in the introduction of White and Hanson’s “The Making and Persistence of the American Dream”, people are beginning to doubt in the American Dream. According to various surveys, “75% claim the American Dream is not as attainable today as it was when George W. Bush was elected president in 2000. (Zogby International 2008) (p. 11) This deterring faith in the American Dream is daunting, but it is also eye-opening. I find that so many people want to achieve so much in their American Dream, that they lose sight on what is truly important. Instead of spending time at home with their family, some people will stay at work extra late in order to make more money. Some people completely neglect their family so they can climb up the corporate rankings. For some, materialistic items have become the centerpiece of their American Dream. These people are powered by greed and a desire for greater worldly goods. I find that so many people attempt to chase this lifestyle of fame and fortune and lose sight on the simplicity of the American Dream.

Originally, the American Dream, which was coined in 1914 by journalist Walter Lippmann, was to come to American in the hopes of living a better life than one’s past life. The American Dream, in a sense, was a fresh start; a way to build a better live for one’s self or one’s family. However, now, the Dream is lost in materialistic items and greed for more. Instead of simply striving for good health and good fortune, people have set goals to simply be rich. Sure, this is commendable for certain reasons, but it has made the American Dream much harder to achieve. People want to achieve more than the generation before them. More. Everyone wants more. Instead of sitting back and appreciating what they have, so many people want to see themselves as more rich or more famous. It is a drive that never ends, with a destination that is constantly fleeting. No wonder everyone feels the American Dream is a thing of the past. So many people neglect to see the beauty in the simplest of things. So many people dismiss the idea of Love and affection in turn for financial success. So many people forget what their ancestors worked towards.

On a happier note, it seems as though people believe their children will achieve their American Dreams. “Moreover, 69 percent believed their children would achieve the American Dream (Penn, Schoen, and Berland Associates 2008).” (p. 12) Hopefully this next generation does not succumb to the media’s impossible view of the American Dream, but, instead look to live fulfilling lives that are not manipulated by greed and fame.