Preview

Brandon King The American Dream Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
761 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Brandon King The American Dream Analysis
In discussion of American dreams, one controversial issue is that Cal Thomas, the panelist on Fox News, claims that it is the dysfunctional government and unstrained liberalism that cause the end of American dreams, but the principle of American culture and the awareness of what got us here will help us to get back on the right track. On the other hand, Brandon King, a student of university of Cincinnati, argues that the American dreams are still alive. What is more, it is the inequality that ruin the American dreams. As long as people have the faith that the life will be better off than today and enact policy to sustain economic growth, the American dreams will keep alive. I totally agree with King’s view and I believe that government do play …show more content…

Thomas defines American dreams as achieving greater prosperity and consuming more material goods. What is more, King extends Thomas’s idea and claims that the old American dream is just as what Thomas says, but the new American dream is trimmed down version of its former self. He believes that most people prefer a stable, middle-class lifestyle now, and they change their spending habit from consuming money to get joy to focusing on saving money for the future and having secure employment by showing some statistics about ownership decreasing from 69% in 2005 to 66.5% in 2010 and renter household increasing 1.1million. And they both agree that culture plays an important role in shaping American …show more content…

However, too high taxes and burdensome regulations on people are the knottiness that block people from education. A son of my mother’s friend was doing excellent job in high school and he decided to go to medical school to continue his study. One day he got a letter from administration office said that he was enrolled in johns Hopkins university. He was super excited and yearned for the college life in the future. However, the high tuition fee $39000 a year broke his heart. His family could not afford such a tuition fee at that time. So he ends up in university of Berkeley, which is a good choice for us but not for him. Our family all feel sorry for him because we believe that he deserve the top school to start his college life. From my perspective, I suggest that the government really need some policy on regulating educational expenditure that enable every person to get his or her education if he or she deserves

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In "The New American Dream", Courtney Martin uses diction to illustrate that the American dream needs to be modified. For centuries, the desire in America has been structured around the idea of economic superiority. Overtime individuals are realizing that “You can’t buy your way out of suffering or into meaning” (Martin 6). No matter the amount of money a person possesses, it will not be beneficial in certain situations. Furthermore, the American dream prioritizes wealth, but Martin believes that true fulfillment cannot be achieved through material prosperity.…

    • 172 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    This can be derived from the rise and growth of the middle class where the phrase “living the American Dream” started to become synonymous with the attainment of select goods. For example, living the American Dream was at one point seen as owning one’s own home. It has been known to reference supporting a family on one income, owning two automobiles, and being able to take vacations across the country. The concept of living the American Dream seemingly evolves just as fast as society does with it increasingly encompassing each successive cultural or technological revolution.…

    • 1413 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    “The extreme emphasis upon the accumulation of wealth as a symbol of success in our society militates against the completely effective control of institutionally regulated modes of acquiring a fortune” (Merton). Have you ever looked around and noticed how much we emphasize money? Money controls so much of the American Dream that is causing a problem. Americans believe the amount of money you have is the end all be all in life and they are willing to do almost anything to gain it. The American Dream has deviated from the original meaning to mold to society today and the desire to constantly want more money. Money has been placed on a pedestal in the United States and because of this the American Dream has become…

    • 2119 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The idea of the American dream began when immigrants migrated to America in hope to become successful, have financial stability, and receive rights they could not in their country. The American dream however was not only fancied by immigrants. Americans also had faith and wanted to pursue the American dream. The confidence in the American dream has diminished over time due to several economic developments and government policies that has widened the gap between the rich and the poor. The American dream is basically dead due to serveral factors. In chapter 18, I came upon several essays that support my argument that the American dream has ended. I have realized that there are ample obstacles one has to endeavor to achieve…

    • 1045 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    I want to be buried in the middle of a huge yard surrounded by a white picket fence. I want my children to laugh and cry, knowing I gave them everything they needed. I want my parents to be proud and my husband to know I love him. I want the American Dream.…

    • 1148 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The traditional form of the American Dream is portrayed through hard work, the ability to better yourself, and financial success. Throughout the course of time, not only do customs change, but the ideals of the American Dream are modified as well. In most cases the basic characteristics of the traditional American Dream is translated through the actions of a successful society. Although this philosophy does not imply to the modern beliefs of the American Dream, many individualists began speculating that there are two options to the ideal American Dream, whether it’d be success or failure itself.…

    • 647 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Dreams come into different varieties, big, small, colorful, black and white, long, short, and other things that you can think of. But there is only one dream that every American wants to achieve, that is the American dream. The American dream started way back when America was founded. It started through the search of gold and of religious freedom by the Europeans settlers. Explorers during the 1600s looked for riches and sought religious freedom. They lived the life of the American Dream. A life that is full of riches and prosperity. But according to Bob Herbert, the American dream is fading away. In his article “Hiding from Reality,” he stated that “there is not much of it that’s left anymore.” Even…

    • 1361 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    American Regression

    • 627 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In Cal Thomas ' article, “Is the American Dream Over?” he expresses a strong, anti-liberal opinion that explains why “the American dream” is lost. The article points out that the American society has become too dependent on a dysfunctional government while the key to a successful life in America used to lie in individual initiative. Certain traits, that had lead past generations to success, have been lost, buried underneath laziness, dependance, and indulgence. Most Americans refuse to acknowledge their own flaws, that keep them from achieving their goals, and look for any kind of scapegoat that they can fine: rather it be the government, the media, or their situation. Thomas provides the realistic evidence that proves that “the American dream,” is long gone as a result of the American society itself.…

    • 627 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    America Is Not Free Essay

    • 604 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The American Dream has been a concept in America’s culture since its founding. This vision has changed slightly over the years, but the basic idea of owning a home, maintaining a…

    • 604 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The AMerican Dream

    • 993 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In the past the American Dream was simply described as an “attitude of hope” originating from The Declaration of Independence which states that “All men are created equal and that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights among which are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Even today if you ask an individual what their view on American Dream is they might repeat those very words, but in Herbert Selby's opinion it does not mean this at all. In Selby’s view the American Dream is seen as a negative force that is not only self-destructive mentally but that it ultimately destroys everything and everyone involved in it.…

    • 993 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Everyday I yearn and look forward to the future. I have faith in myself to know that I can make my personal American Dream possible. As stated in my first American Dream paper, it is the government's responsibility to provide equality and security to each and every citizen. Thus allowing for every individual to be gifted various opportunities and experiences that will impact their life dream. However, after being apart of a government class that was focused upon learning the fundamental knowledge of America’s past and current federal system, the American Dream is seemingly more difficult to come by nowadays.…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The American Dream

    • 3069 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Throughout one’s life, a person will strive to reach a certain level of success. Each individual determines what he wants in life, and to what extent he will go to reach it. However, as The United States of America has risen so have these standards, resulting in many people determined to obtain items they do not need in order to achieve the temporary bliss of being better off than others. In 1931, James Adams coined the term “American dream,” stating that it was "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” (Adams 404). Despite the fact that many of the citizens of America live truthfully to this dream, others would agree that with advances in technology and living standards, the so called “American dream” has changed. Another, more modernized version of the American dream has emerged stating that it “has become the pursuit of material prosperity - that people work more hours to get bigger cars, fancier homes, the fruits of prosperity for their families - but have less time to enjoy their prosperity” (American Dream). Many Americans have become more interested in having enough money to buy worldly and unnecessary possessions rather than living in a society where each person has the potential to reach his own goals. Throughout American literature, authors have portrayed how greed has intertwined itself with the progressing American dream of having material prosperity, resulting in a corrupt society.…

    • 3069 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The authenticity of the American Dream is even questioned by leaders of congress, such as: Archibald MacLeish, who was an American poet, writer, and the Librarian of Congress. He is associated with the Modernist school of poetry, and received three Pulitzer Prizes for his work. MacLeish knows about the obscure dream in stating, “There are those, I know, who will reply that the liberation of humanity, the freedom of man and mind, is nothing but a dream. They are right. It is. It is the American Dream,” (Stein 141). The author is correct in saying this marvelous ‘dream’ is nothing but a dream. Another man, Jacob Pramuk who is a CNBC news reporter, agrees because he knows, “The U.S. stock markets are worried about a possible Federal Reserve interest rate increase. After its most recent meeting late last month, the central bank's policy committee said the labor market ‘continued to improve’ while posting ‘solid’ job gains,” and that jobs are continuing to be lost. Also, there are more than 100 million working age Americans that do not have a job. Right now, there are more than 9 million Americans that are considered to be “officially unemployed”, and there are more than 91 million Americans that are not employed and that are considered to be “not in the labor force”. When you add those two numbers together, the total is more than 102 million.…

    • 1134 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The american dream

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In the writing “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” by Brandon King, a college student at University of Cincinnati; expresses he’s thoughts on the American dream. King’s piece explains how the American Dream still plays a huge part in today’s American society. Regardless that the American Dream was coined during 1931 and was a time where immigrants were coming to America seeking opportunity to own land and be free.King says the American Dream “is more alive and important than ever- and that it is the key to climbing out of the Great Recession, overcoming inequality, and achieving true prosperity” (573). Even though Kings words seem like the right directions to go in but the fact in the matter is; today America is doing the complete opposite.…

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    People have developed the mindset that bigger is better searching for fortune not realizing that their dreams are not realistic and structured enough to survive (Source F).When people develop the idea that the end goal of the “American Dream” is fame and fortune, they lose sight of the idea that these dreams are contributors to the nation (Source A). This, in the end, leads to the economic failure, such as that of 2009, with hundreds of thousands of jobs lost (Source A). During this time, doubt developed for the capabilities of the “American Dream” and overall questioned its role in our nation. As recognized by many though, when people prosper, the nation prospers. Without a personal goal in mind, the nation consequently…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays