Family, happiness, success, and freedom: all are visions of the so called "American Dream". People believed that through hard work and determination, anybody could achieve their goals no matter what racial or economic background they came from. When James Truslow Adam first created the phrase in 1931, he mainly focused on the ideal that everyone has equal opportunities. This is what America was built upon; this is why so many immigrants embarked on the long journey overseas leaving everything they knew behind. Yet, does this dream even exist anymore? We see throughout literature such as The Great Gatsby that many people believe that this vision has turned materialistic. In recent times, America's hopes have changed for the worst: consumerism has literally consumed the minds of the public. People focus on monetary gains and having a higher social status rather than the pure goals Americans had before. Our dream is now associated with the white picket fence, a high-paying job, and a life full of luxury. It's ironic that the American Dream was originally a vision full of hard-work, yet now all people want is a shortcut to success. Jay Gatsby does illegal business simply to strike rich and get Daisy; and he doesn't sweat a bit all the while. People feel that in order to achieve their goals, they must attain high education which isn't always affordable to all. Economic recessions and bad times have caused many Americans to gain a pessimistic perspective on society. Is the American Dream really ingrained into this country, the land of opportunity, or is it simply romanticized? People want to believe that it still lives on, but does it really? Or is it just a hope that America's morals aren't lost forever?
Friday, March 28, 2014
America's Dream or America's Greed
Family, happiness, success, and freedom: all are visions of the so called "American Dream". People believed that through hard work and determination, anybody could achieve their goals no matter what racial or economic background they came from. When James Truslow Adam first created the phrase in 1931, he mainly focused on the ideal that everyone has equal opportunities. This is what America was built upon; this is why so many immigrants embarked on the long journey overseas leaving everything they knew behind. Yet, does this dream even exist anymore? We see throughout literature such as The Great Gatsby that many people believe that this vision has turned materialistic. In recent times, America's hopes have changed for the worst: consumerism has literally consumed the minds of the public. People focus on monetary gains and having a higher social status rather than the pure goals Americans had before. Our dream is now associated with the white picket fence, a high-paying job, and a life full of luxury. It's ironic that the American Dream was originally a vision full of hard-work, yet now all people want is a shortcut to success. Jay Gatsby does illegal business simply to strike rich and get Daisy; and he doesn't sweat a bit all the while. People feel that in order to achieve their goals, they must attain high education which isn't always affordable to all. Economic recessions and bad times have caused many Americans to gain a pessimistic perspective on society. Is the American Dream really ingrained into this country, the land of opportunity, or is it simply romanticized? People want to believe that it still lives on, but does it really? Or is it just a hope that America's morals aren't lost forever?
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I completely agree with how the American dream has changed for the worse. People no longer want to work hard, but that should be the only way to success. I especially like when you say, "consumerism has literally consumed the minds of the public." It's a cool play on words and has a huge truth to it.
ReplyDeleteI also like how you used the words "consumerism" and "consumed", and I agree that the American Dream has become more corrupt. Instead of striving for self-made success, people's greed drives them to use shortcuts, like you said.
ReplyDeleteNice post! I like how you showed the change in American ideals though time, and how you documented its origin and its demise.
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