American Dream Under The Surface Essay

Under the Surface In the 1960s, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream gave hope and motivation to millions of Americans. His American dream was not to have a house, family, job and stable finances. His dream was deeper. It was one of racial equality, a dream to bring freedom for all Americans. Most Americans dream for material things, but the more compelling dream is under the surface. The truer dream that many Americans are afraid to talk about is the desire to succeed, the desire to belong and the desire to be loved. When people think about success they often think about athletics. Most people assume in athletics, winning is required to succeed. Winning, however, is only one form of success. Athletes set different goals, planning to attain them in a given amount of time . These are the goals that people accomplish, therefore succeeding. People work hard to be noticed for their success as a contributor. This is not only seen in athletics, but is demonstrated in business, academics, and many other occupations or activities. This points to a deeper American dream that lives inside most people. A person’s dream is to be noticed for their talents and gifts to be seen …show more content…
These dreams are generally about a more comfortable and secure way of living with more resources and opportunities. However, under the surface is a much more significant and genuine dream that comes from their heart. A person’s desire to be successful is demonstrated in their gifts and talents. Often, being successful, makes belonging to a specific group or family more easily. Finally, by belonging to a society, people often grow to be loved by the people they have become comfortable around. This dream often goes unnoticed or is covered up by wordly things. People, in their most honest moments, would acknowledge that the hidden dreams of being successful, belonging and being loved are more important to them than the material expressions of the stereotypical American