Western Kentucky University

Qureia Peggins
Assignment 2
November 28, 2012
Western Kentucky University

What is the American Dream, how do I see it. The dream gave hope and aspirations life. The dream began in the early times as plain but revolutionary notions. Back in time they seen the American dream different as we see it today Prior to watching the film I seen the American Dream as something I wanted to live by. In my eyes the dreams was having a car, a house finishing college sending my kids to college and retiring with money in the bank. I see The American dream more as a dream that everyone can be happy if the work hard for it. The "American dream" has powered the hopes and aspirations of Americans for generations after generations. It was set out to simply say each person has the right to pursue happiness and with the freedom you could strive for a better life.
The dream caused high expectations from people. As I looked at it my American dream was to finish school in 4 years get married have kids and then go back to grad school. Others have their beliefs on what makes them happy. In today’s world it has slightly changed. I’m in college, with no kids and never have I been married, so I still have a chance at living the American dream, I think so. As a person you want a better life and that was the American dream. You ask someone back in history and they will tell you that the American dream was “The belief that in the United States, people are free to pursue opportunity, and that through hard work, they can make a better life for themselves and their children.” (AmericanRadioworks) If I had to explain it to someone that wasn’t American I would tell them just that. Be happy find love and be happy, have kids, be a stay at home mom and take care of the kids as well as finish college. Some people that aren’t American may have a better outlook on life. It’s not what it’s not what it seems to be. Live your life how you want to live it and if it’s not by the American dream I’m sure it will be just as great. After seeing people in Denmark is happy without the American dream I know that there are ways to be happy. It has over five in a half million people and over 30 years they continue to be everyone else in being happy. They smoke they drink just like we do.
According to Rosenfeld and Messner, Goals are more important than the means. Social institutions are the building blocks of society. This includes economy, polity, family, and education.
In the film, I would say it was a little of both anomie and strain. The film “House of sand and fog” that we viewed in class had a lot to do with what Durkeim and Weber’s key concepts. On behalf of Durkeim anomie was very relevant in the film. Anomie stresses the lack of moral regulation. Colonel Behrani was abusive towards his wife. Because he was abusive it made her have great anomie and she was scared of him. As he was abusive to his wife he also grabbed Kathy by her arm and left a mark. You would think he lacked moral regulations because of his actions. Anomie stresses the lack of moral regulation. Durkheim viewed modern societies as chronically anomic, which is characterized by the lack of regulations. The norms of society aren’t strong enough to guide someone’s behavior. When society puts out different culturally goals that one has the desire for, they experience anomie and they may possibly commit anomic suicide. The occurrence of this suicide might occur during periods where the authority of the family, the church, or the community may be challenged. However, Durkheim affirmed that anomie can result not only from “bad” social change, such as losing a job, but can occur from “positive” social change as well.

Because they are following a routine of working and providing for themselves, they endure profane issues. Authority is also present in the film which is Weber’s concept. When the officer threatening Behrani and his family he was exercising his authority. Class and status issues are also present. One could tell that Behrani was used to having high standing in Iran. Col. Behrani is used to being of higher standing in Iran, He’s used to people doing on his time and accord. In addition, Bernini and his wife have a relationship based on Weber’s type of authority which titled traditional authority, which shows that it rests on the established belief in the sanctity of immoral traditions. After their arguments it usually ends with him hitting her. Bernini displays a traditional type of social action. His actions are traditional when people just called him Bernini he corrected him by saying “Colonel Bernini”. That showed that he was really still attached to his past life. Durkheim’s concept of anomie regarding the wife shows by him having her move constantly. He shows a great amount of the fact that he lacks moral regulations. His wife doesn’t know what’s going to happen next because of her husband and how he does things. Both people show an amount of Durkeim’s and Weber’s key concepts.

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