Preview

Ideology Of The American Dream

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1585 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Ideology Of The American Dream
The impact of an Ideology When the question is asked, “What is the american dream”, answers typically vary based upon different things such as social class, future aspirations, age, economy, or even the desires in an Americans life. The American dream is a unique goal one wants to reach, in order to live a better life. This mentality has a great effect on the american people and their future aspirations. This idea has existed for a prolonged time, and along with that time came an interesting history. The likeliness of a person to reach this goal is dictated by several factors. While Certain factors can increase your chance in accomplishing your goal, it does not necessarily solidify it. Reaching this personal goal can also be a game of chance. …show more content…
It tends to be somewhat consistent from person to person. However, it does vary to say the least. this dream that the American people have is typically seen as a means to further their social class, and their economic Mobility. This very definition may be true to a Large portion of the American people. However, the American dream doesn't necessarily only have to stick to economic class and Mobility. It can also be something that cannot be bought with money, such as love, or even a family. An article published by Business Insider states that “The idea of the ‘American dream’ has shifted. The phrase, invented as shorthand for meritocratic access to money and cultural capital, now means many different things to many different people”. This is Then followed by the cliche that owning a home and having a good job in the 1980s was a core component that materialized the public understanding of what is the American …show more content…
Just take a look at how he grew up with several barriers in his way.He was in the most fortunate person who ever lived. He was not raised in a wealthy family, his parents came from relatively poor families. However, he did persist and ended up being the 44th President of the United States. One key quote from his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention stated “ regardless of one's class, race, privilege, anyone can accomplish anything with the right mentality”. He clearly recognized the disadvantages he had his life however he did not allow those disadvantages to belittle him. By having this mentality he became household name in the United States. This fundamental experience is what drives the American people to pursue their own personal dreams. The fact that each American dream is personal, allows each dream to vary from person to person In America. This is also why the definition of the American dream can't necessarily be confined to one dream. The tone in Barack Obama's keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention could be described as inspirational, influential, grateful, and

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    He taught us how all men are created equally, to believe in a dream, and to believe in ourselves. I think he was successful because he believed in himself. Martin’s early life was full of struggles and success. During high school, Martin won a speech award and went on to represent his school at state. On the way home from state, Martin and his teacher were ordered to stand so a white family may sit.…

    • 428 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The nation only helped themselves by believing in their own dreams, which meant mostly to have their own lands, be rich and live a good-life- “The American Dream”. This ideology gave the public hopes of life and something to work towards.…

    • 2537 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    He constantly reassured the crowd of the American dream. According to James Adams, a writer and historian of 1913, it is "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….but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position” ( “The American Dream”).The reason why many, including his own, crossed oceans and left family behind for. The American dream that should be equally accessible to all, however, dreams don’t always come true. Things aren’t always what they seem. Barriers are bound to exist and slowly destroy motivation, hope, and courage.…

    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tick-tock Most people perceive a negative connotation when they hear the words “let’s get drunk.” Images of wild partying, consuming copious amounts of alcohol, and excessively throwing up the next day seem to come to mind. But, as we all know, several words in the dictionary have more than one meaning. According to Charles Baudelaire, the word drunk is one of these words.…

    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American dream is different for every individual. This dream is an image of success that drives people to their own pursuit of happiness. It gives a chance for the underdogs to rise and let their dreams become a reality. The American dream has changed over the years. From having freedom of success to being better off than your parents were. People have a vest veracity of what their American dreams is. Whether it is love, a certain job title, or money the common end result is happiness.…

    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The idea of of American Dream is deeply embodied in American history. Its first traces are ob-served in the times of frontier life in XIX century when many settlers risked their life to find better living conditions for their families. Furthermore, the concept of better life is placed in Declaration of Independence, There can be read that “all men are created equal [...] they are endowed [...] with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    If you were to ask a person what the “American Dream:” is, each response would be completely different, due to the fact that that everyone has a different opinion on what the “prosperity of life is”. To some it may mean riches and materialistic possessions, while for others it could represent freedom, happiness and love. Every person is an individual that has individual thoughts, never the same as anyone else’s, therefore the “American Dream” varies from person to person. For some people, happiness and love may not be enough to satisfy that emptiness they feel inside and that is why there are people that crave riches, social status and power as their “dream”. Over the last few decades many immigrants have come to America to pursue the Freedom…

    • 342 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gangs Of New York Essay

    • 485 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The American Dream is known as this national pride of the United States. It symbolizes the rights of democracy, liberty, opportunity, and equality that can be attained by all hardworking members in society. The idea itself represents opportunity for happiness, success, and escape from otherworldly problems an individual may have faced in their lifetime. For as long as this ideal has been in place, there have been those who argue of its existence or its truthfulness.…

    • 485 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “The American Dream”, is it really something we want in life? Living life by being self-reliant and individualistic, or find humor and entertainment in everyday life is the ideal way of living. Sure, it would be neat to make a lot of money and go to the store, so that you buy things you’ll probably use once (if even), but is that true happiness?…

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is elusive, its definition changes from person to person and though it is often spoken of it is rarely achieved. Because of the rarity of the successful “American Dream” it leads to the question of how accessible that dream is to everyone. America is full of hard workers and yet we all don’t have trophy wives, a mansion, or a Rolls Royce. I am by no means saying the American dream is dead, I’m saying you shouldn’t expect to ever achieve it.…

    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The expectation that the American Dream has- set, that many believe to be a reachable goal, is a trap that a large variety of people have fallen into, and not been able to resurface from. Previously, the American Dream was thought to consist of luxuries that at the time many citizens in society can not achieve because of money issues within each family as well as health issues, without the included prices of food for the family on a daily basis. Because of media, many would assume that the American Dream as an easily attained dream that most had or would achieve in the future. The expectation that the achievement of this goal would be easy is what brought the vast majority of families and citizens looking to make it big down farther that it brought them…

    • 745 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The american dream

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages

    To this day whenever someone new comes to the United States they come along with a famous ethos “The American Dream”. Many people immigrate to America each year to receive their rightful freedoms, equality, and opportunities to achieve their goals. In recent discussion about the American Dream, a controversial fight has been over whether this dream still prospers and is achievable or if it is even a realistic idea to have anymore. On one hand, some people like Anne Jolis an editorial page writer for the Wall Street Journal Europe look at America today and say the “The dream today is in doubt”. From this perspective, MONEY is the power that runs basically everything in America and rules upon if you will achieve your dream. On the other hand however, people like Chris Demello argue that the dream is still alive and always will be. To me the American Dream is no longer obtainable. There is a horrible amount confusing and fighting that is happening in the States, the economy and government is more debt than ever before, and education is becoming worse preventing people to strive and their best to help the country run.…

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Many people have the dream of starting a family, but many don’t have money to support their family and themselves. Some people have to depend on money and a stable job to support their family. That being said, even if people’s dream was to have a family, it’s going to involve money either way. There is no getting away from money whatsoever due to how much stuff a human being needs to live their own lives. John Archer had given a definition on what he thinks the American Dream is about from a book called, The Resilience of Myth: The Politics of the American Dream, “It is a concept, an aspiration, and an expectation, so well-known it seldom seems to need explaining” (Archer 7).…

    • 2323 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The American Dream is all about you as a person being able to have the freedom to do anything and everything you could possibly want with your life because your life is yours. To have the ability to live how you have dreamed about your entire…

    • 593 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The American Dream has been all about a greater national vision, however as time has progressed, the American Dream has shifted from a greater national vision to individual material success. These cultural aspects of the American Dream complement each other and have an underlying relationship. One often “…winces a bit…” at the phrase the American Dream “… because it has become such a cliché.” (Source 7) Everyone does not know the true meaning of the American Dream because one interprets it in their own way. But the true meaning of the American Dream is that it is the dream of opportunity.…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays