The American Dream
In 1931, James Truslow Adams’ The Epic of America coined the term “The American Dream” and described “America is a country of limitless freedom and boundless plenty” (The Epic of America, pg. 404). For Adams, his time America was growing, and healing. The First World War had ended a few years prior, and America was a couple years into the Great Depression. Americans needed hope during this terrible time so striving for the “The American Dream” meant something. A popular interpretation of the American Dream is “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as written in the Declaration of Independence. The question that remains regarding the American dream, is it still possible for the average citizen? I for one do not think the American Dream is still possible for most Americans. I believe the American dream is unattainable as described by James Truslow Adams for …show more content…
Ben Casselman, chief economics writer at fivethirtyeight.com and former Wall Street journalist, wrote that “The middle class in America has not seen a wage raise in 15 years” (Fivethirtyeight.com). Also, while the median household income has fallen since the economy crash in 2008, while the income of the top 1% has increased. With the high cost of living in America, the average American (2 parents and 3 kids), needs $58,627 a year just to get by (cost-of-living start class). I know most people, i.e. the middle class, who do not make $58,000 plus a year. That is why I feel the American middle class is the new poor. With the government making it harder and harder for the average person to succeed in America, higher taxes and new regulations on the amount of money one has in the bank, one has to be dirt poor to draw government benefits. Such as, if one starts a college fund for their child when they are born, they are not informed that the savings would count against them when the time comes to apply for financial aid for school. (We are living
In 1931, James Truslow Adams’ The Epic of America coined the term “The American Dream” and described “America is a country of limitless freedom and boundless plenty” (The Epic of America, pg. 404). For Adams, his time America was growing, and healing. The First World War had ended a few years prior, and America was a couple years into the Great Depression. Americans needed hope during this terrible time so striving for the “The American Dream” meant something. A popular interpretation of the American Dream is “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as written in the Declaration of Independence. The question that remains regarding the American dream, is it still possible for the average citizen? I for one do not think the American Dream is still possible for most Americans. I believe the American dream is unattainable as described by James Truslow Adams for …show more content…
Ben Casselman, chief economics writer at fivethirtyeight.com and former Wall Street journalist, wrote that “The middle class in America has not seen a wage raise in 15 years” (Fivethirtyeight.com). Also, while the median household income has fallen since the economy crash in 2008, while the income of the top 1% has increased. With the high cost of living in America, the average American (2 parents and 3 kids), needs $58,627 a year just to get by (cost-of-living start class). I know most people, i.e. the middle class, who do not make $58,000 plus a year. That is why I feel the American middle class is the new poor. With the government making it harder and harder for the average person to succeed in America, higher taxes and new regulations on the amount of money one has in the bank, one has to be dirt poor to draw government benefits. Such as, if one starts a college fund for their child when they are born, they are not informed that the savings would count against them when the time comes to apply for financial aid for school. (We are living