What happened to the American dream?
Is the American Dream still attainable? Is the America dream dead? Is it on hold? These are the questions that arise when Americans talk about the American dream. For several decades since the mid-20th century, Americans defined their success by the doctrine of the America dream. The American dream is the belief of Americans that they are the authors of their own fate regarding their economic success. Americans looked forward to getting a good education studying hard, securing good jobs, marrying lifetime partners, buying houses in good neighborhoods or suburbs, settling down, and becoming wealthy. Americans were concerned with raising families in safe neighborhoods and doing things they loved. At the moment …show more content…
The culture and values that supported the American dream no longer exist. The meaning of “success” has also changed. For instance, to some Americans the ideal housing changed from a single level three-bedroom family house to a several levels 3500, square foot mini palace in which every member has a private bedroom and bathroom (“What’s wrong with the American Dream?”). The Great Recession was not only a symptom for poor policies, but it also revealed how many Americans live beyond their means, taking enormous debts to finance their desired lifestyle. Others contended with something lesser than the original dream. Some Americans have to contend with a steady job irrespective of the salary. Many chose to rent homes instead of buying and concentrating, making savings for retirement. Still, some opt to buy through mortgages and struggle to repay throughout their employment years. On the other hand, education has become expensive and out of reach for many. Many acquires higher education through student loans which they end up struggling to pay. After completing college, the former students usually have a hard time find jobs while in the meantime, their loan debts continue to accumulate (Williams). Most of them have to settle for poor paying jobs just earn something, resigning to their fate and forgetting about the dream. Unfortunately, irrespective of their meager pay they are usually required to remit a fixed fraction of their salary toward the student loan, repayment and thus have to sacrifice their desires and other financial obligations (Strahler). According to Williams, the American dream has become America debt, and it has stifled the American savings culture and the ability to invest and rise up the socio-economic ladder. The difference between some American striving to be filthy rich, while some get contented with little is evident in the increasing gap between the
Is the American Dream still attainable? Is the America dream dead? Is it on hold? These are the questions that arise when Americans talk about the American dream. For several decades since the mid-20th century, Americans defined their success by the doctrine of the America dream. The American dream is the belief of Americans that they are the authors of their own fate regarding their economic success. Americans looked forward to getting a good education studying hard, securing good jobs, marrying lifetime partners, buying houses in good neighborhoods or suburbs, settling down, and becoming wealthy. Americans were concerned with raising families in safe neighborhoods and doing things they loved. At the moment …show more content…
The culture and values that supported the American dream no longer exist. The meaning of “success” has also changed. For instance, to some Americans the ideal housing changed from a single level three-bedroom family house to a several levels 3500, square foot mini palace in which every member has a private bedroom and bathroom (“What’s wrong with the American Dream?”). The Great Recession was not only a symptom for poor policies, but it also revealed how many Americans live beyond their means, taking enormous debts to finance their desired lifestyle. Others contended with something lesser than the original dream. Some Americans have to contend with a steady job irrespective of the salary. Many chose to rent homes instead of buying and concentrating, making savings for retirement. Still, some opt to buy through mortgages and struggle to repay throughout their employment years. On the other hand, education has become expensive and out of reach for many. Many acquires higher education through student loans which they end up struggling to pay. After completing college, the former students usually have a hard time find jobs while in the meantime, their loan debts continue to accumulate (Williams). Most of them have to settle for poor paying jobs just earn something, resigning to their fate and forgetting about the dream. Unfortunately, irrespective of their meager pay they are usually required to remit a fixed fraction of their salary toward the student loan, repayment and thus have to sacrifice their desires and other financial obligations (Strahler). According to Williams, the American dream has become America debt, and it has stifled the American savings culture and the ability to invest and rise up the socio-economic ladder. The difference between some American striving to be filthy rich, while some get contented with little is evident in the increasing gap between the