What is the American Dream? How has the definition changed over the years? What factors, if any, have changed society's ideas about the American Dream? Is it attainable for all?
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Kayla B
4/21/2014 05:44:28 am
Traditionally, the American Dream is the medium size house with a white picket fence, 2.5 children, and a dog. Today, the American Dream is a bit different and it isn't necessarily locked down to one thing. The dream is different for everyone; for example, my American Dream is to have and keep the freedoms I have now, to feel safe and secure in my country, and to be able to speak my mind however I choose without fearing repercussions. I want to travel the world and not have to worry about being hated because I'm American, I want to freely use technology to better myself and my life. Speaking of technology, I think that technology is the main factor in the change of the American Dream. As technology has developed, the American Dream has matured. The American Dream, I think is attainable for all who live in America. Work hard and you will be rewarded.
Zach Pranger
4/22/2014 11:27:41 am
I like how you say how the dream changes person to person and isn't just one set idea. I also like your point about technology changing the American Dream. Best response ever Kayla.
Ryan P
4/23/2014 01:28:26 am
I agree with you Kayla. The American Dream is different for everyone. Every person is their own person, and they seek different successes. Each person works hard for what they believe in.
Colleen I
4/23/2014 09:42:26 am
Kayla I love how you start of your response by giving an example of what the american dream is instead of just a generalized definition. I also agree with how the american dream varies from person to person. However, I think it can be said that pretty much every person has a similar dream, that being success and having freedom. All-in-all, great response!
Victoria C
4/23/2014 11:12:00 am
Kayla, I completely agree. The American dream is attainable for all, but only for those willing to work for it. I also agree that the dream has shifted into something more of technological goals, and I don't think that will change, especially as we continue to progress.
Kaleigh
4/28/2014 08:11:37 am
I agree with you Kayla that technology has a lot to do with changing the American Dream, but I don’t think that it is the only main factor. However, hard work and dedication has changed as what you had brought up.
Taylor Saja
4/21/2014 07:50:17 am
The American Dream is a traditional set of ideals; including equality, freedom, happiness, and material prosperity, achieved through hard-work. It also includes the following achievements: buying a home, getting married, having children, getting a degree, and retiring at age 65. When pictured, people see a big house, white picket fence, and a family of about four as well as a dog outside. The definition has changed dramatically over the years. Now a days, both husband and wife, in most households, must work full-time jobs in order to provide for their families. As opposed to back in the day, the man would leave for work while the woman was able to stay home, taking care of the house and any young children they had. That is not the case anymore. Due to the price of living today, two incomes are almost always needed to support a family and be considered “middle-class.” Society’s idea today of the American Dream is simply being able to make enough money to be considered middle-class. Although people are all dealt a different hand in life, the American Dream is attainable for all, depending on the definition of course. 55% feel the American Dream is attainable with hard-work; more than half the population still has the classic belief of hard-work as a vital piece. Although retiring at 65 seems to be a guideline, it is impossible for some people and they need to work longer in order to support themselves. Only 27% of people believe that the American Dream is about happiness, if the other 73% did too, it would be attainable for every single one of us.
Jeff H
4/21/2014 12:22:02 pm
I agree with you Taylor when you say that most people don't believe that the American Dream is about happiness and that if more people did believe that then more of us would be able to attain it. It is easier to be happy than it is to be financially successful.
Hannah B
4/21/2014 01:25:37 pm
I agree Taylor, it has definitely changed and I found it interesting that you talked out happiness along with the American Dream! It is easier to be happy but aren't those who are successful are happy also?
Natalie P
4/21/2014 01:48:41 pm
Taylor, I certainly agree that the American Dream nowadays revolves around money. People center their lives around money and would do just about anything to earn extra cash. Feeding into what you said about the 73% of people who do not think the American Dream is about attaining happiness, I definitely think that if they found their happiness in places rather than money, 27% would become a much higher percentage. Well said!
Hannah B
4/21/2014 08:06:39 am
The American Dream is a perfect well rounded family. Where there is a wife, husband, and approximately 2.5 children. When I hear the words “American Dream” I think of success. I believe that anyone who puts in hard work throughout their high school career, college career, and find a job and life a happy life are living in the American Dream. You are the one to set the goals and if you reach those goals and you are happy, you are living the American Dream. Usually I think of a white picket fence and a perfect modern looking house when it comes to the American Dream, only because that’s what I've been taught what it looks like. We are taught as individuals that in order to reach the American Dream, you have to have a perfect family, a white picketed fenced house, around 2.5 children, the wife has to look after the children, while the men go to work and provide for the family. The 19th amendment, woman’s right to vote, would allow them to vote people into office in which may anger the males, but due to this change in the USA, society’s idea about the American Dream has now changed. Woman are going for the same jobs as men these days and getting equal or higher pay. This doesn't happen for most woman though, as most of them have children so they are held back from the opportunities ahead of them. The American Dream is attainable for only those who work hard to achieve their goals.
Jeff H
4/21/2014 12:18:48 pm
The American Dream is an idea brought about during the turn of the 20th century when thousands of immigrants came to this country seeking economic prosperity and wealth. They were told great stories about this American nation. Some of which included that the streets were paved with actual gold. Over the years the actual manifestation of the dream has altered quite a bit. From the origin of the dream during the early 1900's of just seizing the opportunities that the United States had to offer to the being a dream of the picture perfect family throughout the 40's and into the 50's. Recently the American Dream has lost some of its luster and its identity which is why we're currently writing this blog to try and find what that dream looks like in our society today. The changing of the American Dream was brought upon by many different factors and turning points in our nations history. For one during and after World War 2 many men came home from battle and were in search of a meaningful life. They found that meaning in having a family, buying a house and a car, and in trying to achieve a successful life financially. Another factor that brought a change to the American Dream was the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement made it possible for many black people in America to experience the American Dream. Since they gained the right to vote along with many more freedoms they were now more likely to focus on other aspects of life such as family and their financial status. Sadly, this American Dream is not attainable for all. For the American Dream to exist there must be people who we model ourselves after and say, "I want to live that life", and there has to be those who we don't wish to be like. With that being said some people either don't wish to or can not actually attain the American Dream due to many reasons like poverty, racism, and other social factors.
Kyle Chudoba
4/23/2014 01:19:19 pm
Jeff, what a wonderful response. This brought a tear to my eye, as you referenced numerous historical events and how it has molded the American Dream. I agree with you that it has lost its luster over the years as people now a days don't even know what the definition is for the dream.
Steve P.
4/24/2014 11:17:28 am
I agree that over the years has changed from what it was originally. I also agree that Americans need role models to look up to, without them there seems to be no reason to try to achieve the dream.
Natalie P
4/21/2014 02:08:56 pm
The American Dream has always been defined as the attainment of a life of personal happiness and material comfort rooted and sought in the United States. The prototypical American Dream would consist of a husband and wife living with a few kids in a traditional, comfortable home while the husband works to provide money and the wife watched over the house and kids. From the start, the American Dream centered around the chance for opportunity to succeed and the ability to reach achievement for each and every individual in the U.S. Over time and especially recently, the definition for the American Dream has certainly changed. Due to poor job markets, heavy debts, and wages, it's clear that money is the main focus for the American Dream nowadays. People still wish to reach success, however, unlike the original American Dream, everyone believes that success cannot be achieved without gaining money. People try all that they can to gain money, through schooling, getting different jobs, working multiple jobs, etc. While the American Dream used to define happiness due to personal success of any sort, it now stands for the view that money buys happiness. With that being said, the American Dream is not attainable for all. Some people can not afford education such as college which gets them into a well-paying job to give them a sufficient life. Those who work hard from the start and truly deserve a successful outcome will surely get it in the end.
Mrs. Elbakry
4/21/2014 04:10:49 pm
What an eloquently put response, Natalie. Nice work!
Taylor Saja
4/22/2014 10:05:35 am
Natalie, great point about a college education not being an option for everyone, some just cannot afford it, which doesn't allow certain individuals to work jobs with a high income. I also agree with the point that in today's world, it seems that the American Dream is based off of money and material items opposed to personal success.
Megan C
4/23/2014 08:10:04 am
The point on how everyone can not afford an education and therefor they do not have an ability to achieve their American dream is a good point. As well as not being able to afford an education, the it is had to even get hired for a minimum wage job. Also the cost of living has gone up. The amount of money it would cost to carry on living is continuously on the rise.
Jess H
4/23/2014 09:01:44 am
I completely agree that money is the root of how the traditional American Dream was ruined. Of course it's necessary to make money, but it's not the end of the world if you don't make a lot of money. American's should begin to focus on the most important things in life again: family, safety, and true happiness.
Brianna Guilherme
4/24/2014 12:19:37 pm
Good point Natalie about how the American has changed into money buying happiness. Years ago it used to be that being around loved ones will bring happiness to a person. Now a person is only happy due to the fact that they have a lot of money, thinking that they have achieved the so called American Dream that society has created in their head.
Zach Pranger
4/22/2014 11:23:09 am
The American dream is the belief that anyone can come to America, work hard, and live an ideal comfortable and successful life. This may have been attainable at one point in early American history but it has since disappeared. The definition of the America dream now is that it was an old idea during America's origins. The American dream is now considered an unreachable fantasy. Society no longer believes in the American dream. America is no longer the country it once was. Society is not nearly as optimistic and hard work won't necessarily catapult you to success and wealth anymore. You can be stuck at one position forever, and in today's economy, maybe even lose that job. Many factors including the economy and how companies now work hold people back from attaining the status of the american dream. It is now possible but barely achievable in our era.
Kayla B
4/23/2014 04:23:39 am
I totally agree that the American Dream isn't really a thing anymore. I hadn't even thought about that when writing my response! I also think that the American Dream has become more about wealth and fame and people can work their whole lives and never attain either of those things. Great response Zach.
Megan V
4/23/2014 08:35:13 am
I agree with you Zach. It is very common to lose your job you have had for a long time in today's economy. The American Dream is now just a fantasy that is barley achievable in this era. It is a lost Dream that once existed but is now unreachable.
Adam Lindemann @Lindenator_Esq
4/23/2014 02:02:27 pm
I agree with you, and I like how you called the American Dream "an unreachable fantasy". The lack of optimism in society due to this is also a great point. The lack of optimism has lead to not only to not chasing the American Dream but also the over all lack of interest in being the best on the international stage. I would say society has lost hope in being the best, so we ceased trying.
Dilsara Liyanage
4/24/2014 04:03:11 am
I agree with you completely Zach. The American Dream has been sadly lost throughout the years. It now revolves around money and material things, not personal happiness. It is no longer attainable to all because of the changes that have occured.
Taylor D
4/24/2014 11:01:16 am
I agree with you Zach that society is not as optimistic as it used to be and that now a days hard work is not always the way to climb to the top. I also agree that the economy has made it very hard for people to strive for the American dream.
Ryan P
4/23/2014 01:26:00 am
The American Dream is the thought of the ideal life in America. It is the thought that anyone can come to America to fulfill their lifelong dreams. This thought includes living in a medium sized, comfortable house with a white picket fence with a stable family, including a spouse and about 2.5 children. Over the years,however, the thought of the American Dream has faded. It is now considered unattainable by many, as many of those people fail to believe in this idea anymore. The main reason for the decline of this idea is due to the economic history of the U.S. As of late,the economy has been ailing, and many people in search of a successful life have sadly been halted. Though it is less popular nowadays, the American Dream still exists. Anyone willing to work hard enough to make this dream a reality will be able to see results. The American Dream, though in decline, still exists in society today, as it serves as motivation for people to thrive and succeed in their destiny.
Nick
4/24/2014 11:52:56 am
i agree with Ryans point about how the crippled economy cannot support many people who are trying to reach there dreams. our countries economy greatly effects individual success. the american dream is achieved far more frequently when the economy is good, just like Stanley cups are only achieved with good goaltending, cough cough, Emery sucks, cough cough.
Becky G
4/24/2014 12:18:21 pm
I agree with you, Ryan, that the American dream still exists even though its slowly declining. It has been pretty difficult to attain the American dream with our economy, lately. If people tried hard enough and set themselves to it, they could make their own American dream possible.
Megan C
4/23/2014 08:05:18 am
The American dream is the ideas of freedom, equality, and the opportunity to obtain personal happiness as well as material items. In the United States there has always been need for material items that are beyond necessity. Keeping up with the Jones was a constant back and forth between neighbors, people at work, and sometimes even with in the family. Due to the continuous changes our society bring upon us the want rather than the need for this item takes over. The times have not changed the American dream; just a few changes here and there. Rather than wanted to compete with someone you know the need and desire for new things has taken over. When the American dream first came about it was better ones life for their family instead of doing it so they could have the biggest or best item on the block. Personal expectations are higher in current society so I believe that the American dream is harder to obtain. If the expectations continue to rise just as they have done than the one who strive for that dream have a further way to climb. If the American dream is to be rich and live in a excessively large house and take extravagant trips than it would be hard to climb that latter in ones life. Not everyone needs to lead an extravagant life style to be happy, but since the dream has changed it would be much harder to get to that goal if you are starting with not very much.
Megan V
4/23/2014 08:27:45 am
The American Dream is the opportunity to achieve success, prosperity, and upward mobility through hard work. It includes living in a medium sized home, with a few children, a dog, and a partner. After college you find a job and work for the same company throughout adulthood and expect a pension to retire comfortably. The American Dream is based off of work which leads to success. Today, the American Dream is not how it’s used to be. Someone can work their whole way through college and struggle to find a job afterwards. People who have had a steady job can be laid off in an instance. Most people can’t even afford college and become in debt. Debt piles up because of overpricing and taxes. Both parents have to work rather than just one in order to maintain a home. But nowadays, more and more couples are getting divorced rather than keeping a lifelong partner. I believe the American Dream is not lost and that some may still retain it. However, with technology taking over and prices constantly rising, I do not believe the American Dream can ever be how it used to be.
Kerstin E
4/24/2014 03:05:03 pm
I agree that the American Dream primarily focuses on getting a good job to be successful. The demand for the jobs are not high enough which makes it harder to get the job.
Jess H
4/23/2014 08:56:38 am
The American Dream is now just that—a dream. That may sound a bit pessimistic, but if you really think about it, it’s true. Some people work their butts off and they don’t get to where they want to be, while only the select few do fully achieve their vision of the “American Dream.” For example, many Europeans immigrated to the United States to seek refuge from their distraught countries, but what they found in America wasn’t much better; they had to live in the slums of cities, they were taken advantage of by employers who paid them measly wages, and they were discriminated against in many places here. This didn’t happen to all of them, but many immigrants were met with hostility when coming to America. To this day people still discriminate against those who are different, which may ruin those people’s dream of being accepted for who they are.
Dan Trombetta
4/24/2014 11:51:16 am
I agree with your statement about how the American Dream really no longer exists. I was also very impressed that even though you are short, your response was very long. I also agree that the Dream is in the eye of the beholder.
Colleen I
4/23/2014 09:56:16 am
The "American Dream" are the ideas automatically associated with the United States. For example, having democracy, equality, prosperity and success. The "American Dream" also has the connotation of the average suburban family. Having a wife and mother in the kitchen, the father works full-time, they have 2 kids, have a pet and live in a nice plot of land with a white fence. The American Dream has changed over time. This has to do with the United States advancing in technology. The past American Dream, as previously stated was all about prosperity, equality, and freedom. But currently, the American Dream has turned into something more selfish. All people really care about today is how successful you are. And unfortunately, how successful you are is dependent on how much money you make. Personally, I don't believe that the "American Dream" is attainable for all. People that start out in America in a good, stable home can acquire the American Dream because they have money. However, as was seen in the book "The Jungle", Jurgis and his family came over to the United States in search of the American Dream and they failed. They started from nothing. It isn't a matter of how much you want something (yes it helps), but with the economy - bringing money back into it - Jurgis failed. He couldn't make enough money to even get on his feet. Him and his family lived a miserable life. Hence why I say, the american dream is not attainable for everyone.
Lizz Lizotte
4/24/2014 08:19:52 am
I disagree on the evolution of the American Dream. I think it has, for the average US citizen, always been about financial success. But I think it is now understood that money isn't the only thing people are after. The dream is no longer dependent on money. And I think the only reason people seem so much more greedy now is that we notice that greed in contrast to the increasing popularity of a life not oriented around money.
Clara M
4/24/2014 08:56:48 am
I definitely agree that the American dream has turned into something more selfish and more about money. Nowadays you don’t hear as much about whole families coming over to America as much as you hear one family member in search of a new job or a promising career they can live off of. Also, I agree that the American dream is not attainable for everyone. It may even require a bit of luck.
Victoria C
4/23/2014 11:08:01 am
The basic concept of the American Dream has, for the most part, remained the same throughout the years. Basically, underneath the material things, people want to be happy and successful. It has changed in terms of material things though. While maybe 50 or so years ago, it was common to want a nice house with the white picket fence and dog, today it is more common to want other, more modern things that we can show off. I think when people set off to achieve this dream, they are hopeful, hardworking, and optimistic. But certain factors can change (and have, in the past) the way we view how attainable this dream is. The Great Depression hurt a lot of people, and may have changed people's views of the dream. Feeling hopeless, they probably felt they could no longer attain the dream: simple happiness and success. Some may have been able to bounce back from this and other hardships, but some couldn't, making them feel the dream can't be attained. But I do think the dream is attainable for all. While everyone won't end up with the nice house and white picket fence, there are other things that can make people happy and successful, even though they may not be so obvious.
Kyle Chudoba
4/23/2014 01:15:49 pm
The American Dream originally was coming to America, finding a successful job, and raising a happy family. Back in the day, even those that didn't make the most money but had a family were happy with their situation. Immigrants wanted to come over and just have freedom and attain some sort of happiness. But in today's society, I believe competition has killed the American Dream. Everyone is trying to outdo each other with the newest car, house, or just material item. Also, the amount of money people make is truly what you are judged on. There is no measure of how happy people are now a day, but the amount of zeros on their paycheck. It is sad that everything has been turned into who can outdo one another, rather than just make the most of what a person is dealt with. The idea that you have to make a ton of money in order to be happy that society has been put on people is sad, because now people are forced into jobs they don't like. They sacrifice happiness to achieve the new idea of the American Dream, in which is a constant competition to be the best and make the most money.
Michael D
4/24/2014 03:49:20 am
I agree with you Kyle. Money is a huge part of the American dream nowadays. People are always competing to stuff their wallets with that good green stuff.
Marcus
4/24/2014 04:34:08 am
I agree with Kyle when he says that people measure how successful they are with the number of zeros in the bank account. People use that as a measure of success even though it may not be the right way to go about things.
Sarah W
4/24/2014 11:19:38 am
Kyle, I liked your comment on how the American Dream has been destroyed by competition. People now only care about the latest and greatest and not their happiness.
Eric J
4/24/2014 10:43:23 am
I agree with you Kyle. Money is the common denominator behind every american dream nowadays. I agree completely that people are working at things they really don't like just to get some more money in their check.
Tommy Baker
4/24/2014 12:49:52 pm
I like how you mentioned that people were happy if they had a nice family even if they did not have a ton of money. Back them, people just wanted to be free, live happy, and work hard. Today, though, people need to be rich to have the American Dream and always have to out do your neighbor. They American Dream has changed so much over the past few decades and it is all about money now.
Sedyra
4/24/2014 12:51:55 pm
I agree with Kyle. Before the American Dream was about people in poor situations dealing with what they had and making the most out of it. They made do with what they had. Now the American Dream has altered and it’s about who has the most money and the coolest materials. People measure others’ success through money. They are considered successful if they make a lot of money and live in a big house with a lot of newer items. However, a man with a family that goes to work to just be able to make rent isn't considered successful because even though he may be happy with his life, to other people he is not successful.
Adam Lindemann @Lindenator_Esq
4/23/2014 01:55:53 pm
The American Dream started as a chance for a new life. People would immigrate to America seeking a better life then they had. It was not focused purely on money. Freedom, family, and community were much more important. People wanted the opportunity to live a modest life. As seen in novels such as The Jungle this was very difficult in the past. For people already established in the States, the goal was more accessible, however still difficult. Over the past few decades the “1%” lifestyle has become idealized by television and more recently the internet and social media. This has caused people’s focuses to look away from the desire of a modest lifestyle and to just want money. Everything is centered around money. Programs such as “Keeping up with the Kardashians” and “Breaking Bad” and movies such as “The Wolf of Wall Street” are able to show this desire for money. They say that more is never enough and to keep working for more. There is no way to say who can obtain it, but it is very difficult to do. Only a select few ever succeed.
Casey Shevlin
4/24/2014 03:50:47 am
Adam, I definitely agree with your point that everything is centered around money. Some people can even live their life without a family just because they're so obsessed with getting the most money they can. I also agree how only a select few nowadays can succeed in having the American Dream, because it takes a lot of hard work to be financially successful.
Becca Holmwood
4/24/2014 08:49:47 am
Case I agree with what you said about people becoming obsessed with money that they abandon their families. Money starts controlling a persons like to the point where it is almost like an addiction. They become so obsessed with making money that they just want more and more
Chris V
4/24/2014 12:41:24 pm
Adam, I agree with you in saying that people today are focused only on the desire to have money and that the entertainment world is a factor in why people view the American Dream this way.
Michael D
4/24/2014 03:46:53 am
The American dream is to have a successful job, and be able to support a family. People want to be able to live easily and happily, getting anything their heart desires. However, this once simple dream of owning a house, with a picket fence and family has changed over the year. I believe that people are looking at the American dream in a new modern way. Not everyone wants kids, or that white picket fence anymore. It's more about getting the material items that you want while staying financially stable. I believe this is due to people thinking more about their financial futures. I don't believe that the American dream of achieving financial independence is available to all. Allot of it has to do with social classes. Some people just can't afford to receive certain education or experiences due to less available funds.
Casey Shevlin
4/24/2014 03:47:23 am
The American dream is defined as the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. It is the idea that having a well-paying job, a family, and typical all American home with a white picket fence is the ideal life to live in America. Over the years, the definition has definitely put more weight on the well-paying job. In the past, a successful man is one who has a job that can provide for his family, and a successful woman is one who stays at home and take care of the children and husband. In today’s society, in order to strive, most family’s need to have both parents with a well-paying job. Unless, the husband has a job that can provide enough money in today’s expensive society, the woman most of the time also has at least a part time job. Low wages, the struggle to find a job, and the high price of living have all affected the way the American Dream is portrayed. Money is a necessity in order to be affluent in today’s society. Without money you cannot pay for a decent education, which can then affect the type of job you receive and then affect how much money you make in the end. Therefore, in order to have a well-paying job later in life, a person needs to start off with money to pay for the education or work extremely hard in order to get scholarships. These factors make the American Dream impossible to be attainable for every single person in America.
Dilsara Liyanage
4/24/2014 04:00:53 am
The American Dream began as a plain idea but evolved into something more. It is the notion that each person has the right to pursue happiness, and the freedom to strive for a better life through hard work and fair ambition. When you talk about the American dream back then, you picture a modern house with a white picket fence, working husband and a stay-at-home wife that has 2.5 kids. It emphasized how anyone could have a perfect life if they worked hard for it. Nowadays, the meaning of the dream has completely changed for the worse. It has not come to represent a set of expectations about owning an absurd amount of material items and making money. A factor that changed this dream is money. Everyone nowadays is more worried about making a lot of money than being happy with what they already have. I believe that it’s always good when one tries to better themselves in order to be successful, but when they revolve their whole life on money, it’s a problem. Since the American Dream no longer centers on happiness gained from personal success, just from money, it is not attainable for all. Some people cannot afford the finer things in life because everything, including college, is so expensive now. Not everyone is privileged to get into a good college and receive the proper education. Because of this and many other reasons the American Dream, sadly is no longer attainable for everyone.
Dan trombetta
4/24/2014 04:24:54 am
The American dream is the ability for someone to work their way up in a social class. In the early 1900s America was one of the only countries in the world in which one could do so. The American dream came to be a goal for numerous immigrants along as Americans. Since that time the American dream has certainly changed. It has become increasingly harder to change social class. The people at the top stay at the top and the people at the bottom tend to stay there too. The government has increasingly been passing laws and bills that encourage or even force a steady social class rank. These laws seem to prevent the people from increasing their social class. This I don't think the American dream is attainable by all anymore. Only those that catch a break in life can truly achieve the American dream as it was back in the day.
Marcus
4/24/2014 04:32:38 am
The American Dream used to be being able to live a successful life. It used to be whether or not you were able to provide for your family and have the needs in your life comfortably. It was having the freedom to do what you wanted in life. It has since changed I believe from the view of many Americans. We have changed from a need based lifestyle to a materialistic money driven world. Everyone is out to keep up with the Jones'. I believe it is seen that the more money you have the more successful you appear. It is driven by celebrities mainly because everyone looks up to anyone who has money nowadays and says, " I want that". I do think that it is attainable by anyone honestly. If you work throughout your whole life which is easier said than done obviously. If you want it bad enough then you have the capability to achieve what you want. It may not be the correct depiction of the American Dream but the American Dream, when all the dust settles is getting what you want out of life.
Kevin L
4/24/2014 12:47:49 pm
Hey Marcus, I really liked that part of your response where you said if you want something badly you should be able to achieve it. I agree becuase if someone desires something badly, the American dream should be that they get it with hard work.
Meaghan O
4/24/2014 12:56:42 pm
I agree with Marcus. The American dream used to be simple as just being happy. Now it is easy for people to try relate how happy they are to how much money they have.
Lizz Lizotte
4/24/2014 08:11:28 am
The American Dream, when it was first documented under such a name by James Truslow Adams in 1913, was about having that perfect house in that perect neighborhood, living with that perfect wife and those perfect children, finally getting promoted to that perfect job. It was the idea of being socially and financially successful; it meant achieving irrevocable happiness. Of course, much of this happiness was dependent on having enough money to buy all of the commercially attractive comodities anyone could ever ask for. This dream, however, is the American dream because the US was the land of opportunity. Strangely enough, throughout the years, race, religion, gender, orientation, etc. have all made this dream unattainable for many people. With many different political movements, however, this dream has become more equally attainable. Though the dream itself isn't quite the same as it once was. The American Dream as an idea represents what everyone wants for themselves. While it used to be all "white picket fences," it is now a more broad idea. Social and financial success are still there, but they are understood to mean something different to everyone. And while some people want to settle down, some people dream of saving up the money to travel the world, or to further their education, or to create a dream in some other part of the world.
Becca Holmwood
4/24/2014 08:46:34 am
The American dream was originally the medium size house, white picket fence, children and a dog. The husband was a working man while the wife was a stay at home mother. The definition has changed over the past few years though. Typically nowadays, the american dream is having a high paying job and being an important figure in society's eyes. In the present, people are looking to find the most high paying job in their field of work. Essentially, for people who have grown up in our generation, the American dream is all about money. You need money to pay the bills, money to feed your family, money to spend on overly expensive (and not often needed) material items. Its all about making as much money as you can. No one really values the true meaning of the american dream anymore because times have changed. The world has changed and unfortunately because of this change, some people cannot attain the "american dream" If you think about movies or stories in previous generations, a man essentially goes from rags to riches. He achieves his american dream by making something of himself and working hard. In today's society, that isn't always the case. For example, if you're raised in a poverty stricken area, chances are you might not get a good paying job or a good education. Or in other cases, you may have a job, but its not the best. If you don't get paid well doing this job, you might not be able to pay bills and feed your family or you may even get kicked out of your house if you can't pay your mortgage. In these types of cases, you could be trying to achieve this american dream but never attain it because of the circumstances. In reality, the american dream has pretty much gone down the drain. Its not what it used to be because we are not content with what we have. Therefore, the traditional american dream isn't really apart of our society anymore.
Clara M
4/24/2014 08:50:30 am
The American dream is an idea that when immigrants came from other countries they would get a job easier, make more money, and have a good stable lifestyle that was less taxing than back in their native countries. This was because America was newer and held less people. There was more space to live on and more jobs to be filled. Unfortunately the country has grown tremendously and that is not as much of the case as it was many years ago. The American dream has turned into more of a popularity game. People say America holds a lot of celebrities and people who seemed to have come from nothing to riches and fame. A lot of people nowadays come to America in search of that type of American dream. That new definition isn’t that easy to obtain though. People go through years of hardship after coming here because careers aren’t the easiest thing to get anymore because of the amount of people. Not everyone comes here and receives what they think they will. It’s more for the people who work hard at things who succeed at their American dream. And those who come expecting don’t receive at all.
Sara p
4/24/2014 12:32:23 pm
Clara, I completely agree with you that in order to succeed you need to work hard. Good things only come if you're willing to make them happen. People come with the idea that things will be waiting for them, but that is not the case. With so much competition these days it is a matter of who is willing to work harder.
Eric J
4/24/2014 10:36:43 am
The american dream was originally a nice house, a family, a car, and a dog. This has been a goal for many people to strive for growing up. Now the american dream is a mansion with a red sports car and a supermodel wife. The bar has been raised a little over the years. This is at fault because this has been achieved a lot and there are always people doing bigger and better things to raise that bar. Growing up as a kid they don't want an average size house and an american car. They want the million dollar house with the foreign car in the driveway next to a beach. I think the point of an american dream is a goal for kids to strive for so they have incentive to work hard in school and try in life. If the kids didn't have this somewhat unrealistic dream in mind they would stop trying once they have reached a point where they can obtain that dream, but when the dream is so extreme very few people make it there. Keep in mind it is a dream and everybody is taught to dream big because you never know what could happen.
Josh Thorne
4/24/2014 12:20:50 pm
I agree with the fact that people have been raising the bar. The standard of living has definitwly changed but mostly because people want the nicest things. Great post!
Steve P
4/24/2014 11:12:48 am
The American Dream was thought of opportunity and prosperity of the United States in the early 1900s'. Immigrants would imagine a perfect life by moving to America. They were convinced that there was great opportunity to have a well paying job along with a big house for their family to live in. Over the years this imagine has drastically changed from providing needs for a family to who has more money that has the nicest "toys" to show off. The biggest contributor to this change over the years has been money. Money had the ability to change peoples mind from achieving happiness to selfish personal gain. If people try to achieve what was once the American Dream then they can pursue their dream. However, if they tried to achieve the American Dream is today, it is not achievable. Money is now why the American Dream is ruined and unfortunately it is impossible to get back. Now instead of people having the American Dream, people are dreaming of moving away.
Nick
4/24/2014 11:46:04 am
the american dream is just something we are told when we are young to make us strive for success. we are told that we must grow up, have some kids, and be a contributing member of society. this isnt all true. the american dream is simply getting stuff done in life. its different for everybody. some people dont want children or have unorthodox career paths. as long as someone achieves what he sets out to accomplish, he has reached the conclusion of his american dream journey. its very achievable to accomplish ones goals and dreams. hard work and determination will always lead to success.
Brianna Guilherme
4/24/2014 12:10:49 pm
The American Dream is to have a family with 2.5 children, a medium size home with a garden and white picket fence around the house, having a car, a stable job, and a dog. This however was the American dreams years ago. In today's society the American Dream has changed. Many people have different ideas and ways of thinking of what the American Dream is. Some believe the American Dream is maintaining the freedom and security that they have and follow it through into the future. Others believe the American Dream is rising up to the top, either as a movie star or business tycoon, with a big house and having people idolize them. Lastly, there are still some people who believe that the American Dream is having a stable job, a medium size home, and a family with 1-2 children or even more. A few factors have led to the change of society's ideas about the American Dream. The want for money has changed people's views, they feel as though having money and lots of it they will reach their view of an American dream. They feel that having this money will give them that freedom and security they want. The American Dream in today's society however is not attainable for all. There are many people that live in poverty, for example the people living on Skid Row in California. Most people in this section are way below the poverty line with no pursuit of being close to getting near the American Dream. Prices of many market items are very expensive in today's society as well. With taxes being very high and many people losing or not being able to find jobs it is getting harder and harder for citizens in society, which cause them to lose that sense of security and freedom that the American Dream symbolizes in today's world.
Becky G
4/24/2014 12:15:09 pm
I think that the American Dream is all about success. Every since it was introduced as an idea, it has been thought that the more money you have, the more successful you were thought to be. Also, if you were successful, you had a nice house in a quiet neighborhood with a hard working husband, kids, and a loyal dog. Over the years, the American dream still appears to be focused on success and finacial income. I think that the American Dream can be attainable for everyone, if they try hard enough. Some people may have a difficult time ecause in order to be successful, you need a good education, and not everyone can afford a good education. So the American dream is attainable, its just a question of how hard different individuals have to work in order to achieve it.
Joshua Thorne
4/24/2014 12:17:58 pm
The American Dream started out more as the standard for what everyone wanted. It was as everyone else described the perfect family, house, and so on. As years pass though it has changed almost into greed. At first the American Dream was all about being happy and making sure the family was happy having a steady safe job. But in recent years this hasn't been the case with thecurrent unemployment rate and questionable job safety there is more stress on the average American family to make sure that everything will be okay. Also everyone wants all sorts of unnecessary items. We all hear about our country's elitists and want the most expensive things. It has in a way been changed by greed, but the expectations for the average family has definitely been changed (mostly the standard of living). The American dream can be attained but not as easily as it once was. With a high amount of job competition and questionable job security it is hard to get comfortable with what you have. It is attainable but it is going to take more work.
Sara P
4/24/2014 12:24:22 pm
The American dream was formed by immigrants with the idea that they would easily find a well paying job in order to provide for their family. Their idea seemed reasonable as America's economy was booming during the middle 1900s. With the economy growing, the population increased because everyone had the same goal of a happy matrimonial, 2 kids, and a medium size house with a white picket fence house. The American dream wasn't all that it seemed, it wasn't easily attainable. However, it was possible with hard work. Today, the American dream itself has changed. The divorce rate is higher, and money and materials have replaced happiness and unity. Technology seems to be the cause of this. We are so wrapped up in the latest trends that the idea of face to face communication seems to be endangered. Now the American dream seems to be "every man for himself." The greed for success has increased. Back then parents would try to get their kids to exceed them. They would leave them with a lot of inheritance in money or a house or car. Today, kids inherit debt. The debt is mainly due to student loans to pay for a degree that doesn't always promise success. Unlike back then, having a degree today doesn't mean you won't have trouble finding a job, or keeping one. The American dream to succeed is attainable, but there is more competition and different ways to approach it other than hard work.
Sara P
4/24/2014 12:28:35 pm
Kayla, I agree that everyone has their own "American dream". We all have our different perspectives of what success is.It's good that we all have different ideas of the American dream because that is what sets us all apart.
Aaron Bullivant
4/24/2014 12:34:50 pm
The American dream has changed a lot as time has gone on. The American dream is something that everyone has the opportunity to gain but yet is achievable by everyone. The American dream used to be the desire for people to own one car, have a nice “white picket” home, be married and have children. But as time has gone on it has become much harder to achieve the American dream. One thing that seems to stop people from achieving their American dream is the economy. Some people have been well on their way to achieving their own version of the American dream but when the economy collapsed it kind of slammed the breaks on their progress. Some people were able to recover from that while others never quite got to where they were before. Another thing that has kept people from achieving the American dream is a little more abstract. To me I don’t see one dream that everyone tries to achieve. I see many people trying to achieve their own dreams. That is also how it can be hard for some people to tell if the American dream is attainable for all. While we meet our own version of the American dream other people will be meeting theirs and it may not seem like much of a dream to us. So we believe that they haven’t achieved theirs. The very idea of the American dream has changed over time and I believe that the fact that it isn’t one solid idea is a big part of that. The freedom that we have allows us to be who we want to be and do what we want to do. The American dream is attainable by all but it is not the same for all so sometimes it hard to see in other peoples lives.
Kevin King
5/11/2014 05:22:03 pm
I agree with your post, Aaron. I think that most people are able to achieve their version of the american dream. I think that the iconic white picketed fence is more of an icon than the american dream people want to achieve. I think it is the fence and family because that is what is most easy for people to relate to. I think many people's american dreams are different, but the icon serves as a puppet that everyone can relate to in some way.
Chris V
4/24/2014 12:38:29 pm
At first the American Dream was to leave the motherland to America in search for a better life. The ideal image of the American Dream was to own a nice house with a white picket fence and to live a happy, successful life. Today's American Dream has been skewed from the original American Dream. I believe people seek wealth and fame beyond their dreams. If you ask any child these days they don't say they want a nice house big enough to survive with a medium sized family and make enough money to live a happy life. Instead they say they want to be rich and famous when they are older. I believe social media and television change the way people see the dream. After watching The Wolf of Wall Street it is obvious to see how much the desire to be wealthy can control someones life and they will do anything to reach that status. The original American Dream was very difficult for the immigrants coming over and even for the people who lived in the states. Just like the original dream, the new dream is very difficult to attain. It is possible but the chances of becoming rich and famous are slim.
Sedyra
4/24/2014 12:39:40 pm
The American Dream is an idea of the perfect life and being successful. The definition has changed over the years because it started as people wanting the best possible life which at the time was to have a stable job, live in a decent sized house, have a family, and be happy in life. Now the American Dream is to make millions, have a mansion, and drive around in the most expensive cars. The American Dream has changed from an idea of happiness in a person’s life to an idea of filling life with materials and people trying to make themselves happy through their materials. I think that the unachievable standards in society have helped shape the American Dream to what it is now. The media makes celebrities look so happy and content with their lives and possessions. Then impressionable Americans see these ads and think that those are the things they want and the only way they will achieve happiness is through making millions of dollars, I do not think the American Dream is attainable at all. Sure people can make a lot of money and buy expensive things but I think even when someone makes it to the top there are still things that they will want in life. People are just programmed to always want so even when things seem great to the outsiders, all the money in the world will never be enough to try and buy happiness and the American Dream.
Meaghan O
4/24/2014 12:54:25 pm
I think the overall American dream is to be successful and happy. Being successful and happy can come from a job, relationship, money, or how you choose to live your life. The typical American dream used to be the house with the picket fence etc. Now, it has changed but either can relate back to the core dream of being happy and successful. The American dream can change based on what is going on in our country. In the early 1900's, the American dream most likely had to do with freedom. A lot of people come from other countries looking to be free. That is not as common now as it used to be. The American dream is hard to achieve, but I think it can done. You won't always be happy. However, you can always find joy in life through unexpected ways.
Mackenzie M
4/24/2014 12:56:30 pm
The American Dream started out very simple. People only desired a stable job, decent size house, and a small, happy family. Nowadays, people want more. In their minds, they need to be rich, with the biggest house and nicest car possible. The promotion of lavish lifestyles through media and increased competition caused this major change. People are no longer content with just having enough to live comfortably. They must live better than everyone else. Because of this, the American Dream is no longer attainable by everyone. A college degree is required to get an “acceptable job,” but not everyone is able to get one. Working hard can no longer guarantee that you will live the American Dream; it also takes a lot of luck and having the right opportunities.
Kevin King
4/24/2014 02:31:09 pm
The American dream traditionally in the past was material wealth, the house, car, beautiful wife, and family, and today not much between those ideals has actually changed. To a great deal, the American dream still is to be successful, many of which leads its possessor into material wealth. The answer to the question of how to display your accomplishment of the American dream has never been clearer. Those who feel they have achieved it and want to prove to others their success just buy material wealth. Nothing shows that you are more successful than tangible success. However, those who do not feel the need to demonstrate their crude success to the public possess the true American dream. The issue in providing a model to designate the “American dream” is that it differs for everyone. Success is not defined as wealth; however the American dream’s iconic picture will remain the same because its symbolic meaning drives more than just material wealth. Depicted using material wealth, the American dream picture symbolizes equality, democracy, and freedom. The ideals are no different for someone whose American dream is to write a book series about their family tradition versus someone whose American dream is to own an exotic sports car. Both can be American dreams, but both are individualized to one’s dreams of success. This indicates that the American dream is absolutely attainable. Hard work and determination are the necessary components and every American can possess that.
Joe V
4/28/2014 02:38:10 pm
Kevin, I like how you pointed out that the fundamentals of the American Dream have not changed. The basic attributes of the dream remain the same, while the standards for them are what have changed.
Kerstin E
4/24/2014 03:01:55 pm
The American Dream is a person’s view of a perfect life. They have a happy family and a successful job. It has changed over the years because, in this economy, not everyone will be able to have a high paying job. Many individuals are unemployed and are struggling to make ends meet. Only a select few are actually living the American Dream. The American Dream has developed more into being able to get by. As long as a family can pay all their bills and not struggle too much with money a big fancy house doesn’t matter. I think the American Dream is still attainable. As long as your family is happy and healthy and you have what you need to get by you are living a near perfect life. As long as you work for what you want, you can get it.
Kaleigh B
4/28/2014 07:50:09 am
During the great migration immigrants from all over the world had found the United States as fresh start from their poor situations at home. The United Stated had promised these expatriates the idea of the American Dream. The American dream had involved three factors: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Joe V
4/28/2014 02:36:17 pm
The American Dream can be perceived in many different ways. Every person has a different perspective on what the American Dream is, because everyone has their own goals and aspirations. However, in the past, there was a concrete definition for the American Dream and what it meant to the American people. The previous meaning of this concept was living a comfortable life, with a happy family and the feeling of success. The perception of the dream has changed due to a number of factors. The new types of industrialization and new wave of technology have contributed to the drastic change in what the American people ultimately strive for. Technology has led to people becoming lazier, and settling for less than what was previously acceptable. Somehow, there are two extremes that define what the American Dream stands for. There is the dream that is too difficult to obtain with sky-high goals, and the dream that has the bar set so low that it is difficult NOT to obtain. It's difficult to state whether the American Dream remains attainable, as the real question has shifted to whether it still exists in today's society. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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English 12 HPlease respond to the question in at least 10 sentences AND comment on another classmate's response. You can certainly disagree, but BE RESPECTFUL of the opinions/feelings of your classmates. Archives
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