The American Dream In Jeremy Rifkin's The European Dream

The American Dream is a term that is known across the globe—work hard, and if you do, you will find yourself rich. Popular classical American films such as The Lone Ranger feature a man who goes out on his own and needs no one else. But perhaps solitude is not the solution to success. In his book The European Dream Jeremy Rifkin explores with readers that the American Dream may not be as fantastic as it has been made out to be.
Many people in recent years have found themselves stuck in debt and unable to pull themselves out no matter how hard they work. This manifestation of poverty directly contradicts the American mantra—working hard may not always produce the desired results. Europe, however has decided to decrease working hours so that workers can spend more time with their families and as a result people get more work done in the time that they have because they are better rested. It would seem that long hours of work does not necessarily equate with productivity. With the mindset that if one works hard to get what they want, individuality evolves. Americans do not trust their government to provide for them and the needs of people in need. Whereas in Europe, people are willing to invest a percentage of their income to those in greater need—through …show more content…
Countries like Germany and England, who are well known for their work ethic had become resentful that they are expected to support poor-er and less hard working countries, such as Greece or Poland. With the introduction of the Euro, poor countries also significantly decrease the value of the European dollar, to the extent that the United Kingdom is looking into leaving the European Union, which could result in the gradual dissolving of the EU, especially considering that the UK is one of the more financially stable members of the EU. Because each member is so dependent on the other, if one country falls, all of the other members