Monday, March 28, 2011

The American Dream Ideal

Please respond to the following questions in a thoughtful written response: Explain what the American Dream means to you. (What does it represent? What ideals are prevalent? Think about images you have seen, what your past learning experiences have taught you and what you perceptions show you today) How might the American Dream be different in earlier generations? Has the ideal of the American Dream changed (with regard to time, place, or generations)?

31 comments:

  1. The American Dream is the form in which the unique mix of opportunity, liberty, vision, and creativity that is found by people of and arriving in the U.S.A. It is not a white picket fence, it is not an artist's studio, it is not wealth, it is not power, what the American Dream IS is that to choose and decide, for "the greatest gift a person can have is the freedom to choose," Milton Friedman wrote. The generations goals and hopes always change, from puritan settlers who flee religious persecution to German and Italian immigrants seeking more control over their life and a chance at prosperity, to the Mexicans and Latinos wishing to gain economic wealth to improve their lives, all come here knowing that they are here for the power to choose.

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  2. The traditional definition of the American Dream is that someone is able to come from absolutely nothing and with hard work, succeed. What success means is up to the individual. It may be to have a family, a business, money, an education, a career, etc. This system is designed to reward those who work hard and put forth effort. Needs for each generation are different. For example, our grandparents may have wished for and worked towards having a healthy family to provide for and a nice warm house. My generation may want to work towards a huge house, nice cars, the perfect family, and a great career. Although these are more of possession type items, it is apparently what it takes to be considered successful. The American Dream changes with location, depending on resources available, wants/needs, and ambitions. It is known worldwide that with the American Dream, anything is possible.

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  3. The American dream is endless possibilities and potentials. Like Parker said it’s not something you can touch or see but something this is found. Through hard work and determination it can be possessed. I believe this to be so and so did many millions of people who took a big chance coming to America for a new beginning. It is not a right but a privilege to live in a country with so many possibilities. After all everyone can enjoy its lifestyles if their willing to work for it.

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  4. I believe that the American dream means that everyone is given the equal opportunity to live freely and succeed in a safe country such as this one. This dream represents hope and a place where everyone can succeed with diligence and hard work. It represents a land of opportunity and a place where people can start fresh. I've always seen the American dream as something that inspired Immigrants to come to the U.S. for a new start. Also, I see the American dream in the symbol of the flag. I think that everyone sees the American flag and somehow associates it with a dream or opportunity. I don't necessarily think that the motives or ideas of the American dream have changed that much over time. I believe people had the same ideas in the earlier years it just looked different because we have grown as a country. With that being said, I think the American dream was a motivator for us to expand the country and develop it to thrive. Finally, I believe the dream overall represents freedom and that all men live equally. If not for this initial dream early on we would not be where we are today.

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  5. The American Dream is different for every person. For Martin Luther King Jr. the American Dream was racial equality, for others it is money or religious freedom. The American Dream represents how our country separates itself from others, it gives people freedom and opportunity. To me the American Dream is being given an opportunity and the resources to achieve your highest goals with hard work. Although some people think the American Dream comes easily and it is handed to them, the only way to achieve it is through hard work and diligence. I think that the American Dream is always changing with new generations, as things become more advanced opportunity becomes greater and greater over time, and people can begin to achieve more than what they could have in the past.

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  6. From what society has tried to make us believe, the American dream is to live in a nice home, with lots of money. However that won't make everyone happy, and people might have their own dreams that aren't even similar to this. You can have your own dreams, they don't have to classify as the "american dream". Happiness, peace of mind, and a happy family is what I dream of having. The American dream should represent that as an American we have the freedom to be, say, and dream whatever we want.

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  7. The American Dream is different for everyone. Some people want money, and others want a nice house and family. Personally, all I want to be in life is happy. I don't feel that it changes with different generations because usually people want either money or happiness but there are always people who want something in particular. I feel that as long as you work hard to fully achieve your dream, you can live the American Dream.

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  8. I think that the American dream is when someone comes from absolutely nothing and makes themselves into something big. It reveals a good image for the United States because people want to come here in order to achieve that sort of dream. There are pictures all over that show a hard working man. When you work hard in life, it often pays off. That is something that my father has always told me to do in life, he doesn’t let me coast through life without hardship, unlike many kids today. I think that the American Dream started in the 1920 when immigrants started leaving their countries to come to America. I think that when people had no idea about America they could fantasize about all of the possibilities. Now in the 21st century, people still believe that America is the land of opportunity but they have more of a realization of what is actually possible in today’s world.

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  9. The American dream to me is not going from the bottom to the top, it is more reaching the success each individual would want. For some people their "American Dream", is to become the CEO of a large company, for others it is not. I think that maybe the term coined from the time when the immigrants were coming to America to make a better life, isn't the term that should be used today. Before, I think that it may have been more difficult to make something of your self then it is now. All it takes to be successful in the 2000's is a lot of hard work. Some people would argue that you also need to right connections and a large amount of money in your bank account, I however disagree. This is because my step father started out in poverty, (they couldn't even afford to buy a mattress for them to sleep on, they used their cribs until they eventually were to heavy and they broke), with a lot of hard work, and committing a TON of time, my step dad now owns a major casino chain in Mexico, which he started alone. This proves to me that anyone can get where they are trying to go, as long as they are willing to work for it.

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  10. To me I think the American Dream is when someone has nothing to and goes from that to being very sucessful and reach all the goals you want to.The American Dream is different for everyone for some they might say that is all about being rich and having all the money in the world but to others it would be becoming sucessful and be happy and really not giving up if you have nothing. If you have nothing it is possible to come up from that and be something you would of never thought you would be. I also think that the U.S. shows a good way of the American dream and why a lot of people want to live here. If you do work hard in life you will see that it pays off in life in the end. When you think it will never pay off one day it will when you least expect it. The American Dream I don't think comes right to you. I think that you have to work for it. With working for it it takes a lot of hard work and time to get where you want to be. The American Dream is a great thing when you really know what it is about when it comes to you just work for it, everyone is capable of doing that,even if you don't think so.

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  12. In my opinion the American Dream is different for every pearson. It's what someone strives to achieve in their future. As Nick T said Martain Luther Kings Dream was racail equality. For the most part, People's American dream would be something along the lines of a succesful life with a family that they love and a nice home. In America it is different from other contries because it is your life and you can do anything with in the law to succed and live a very happy life. In ealier generations success might have been harder to achieve and the people who were very succesful were not as whealthy as they are in this age. Today through stock market and through other advancments some success is not that hard to achieve. Today I think there is a much greater gap between the poor and the rich than in ealier generations.

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  13. The American dream, as most people have said, can vary from person to person. I believe that the American dream is doing what makes you happy. To some people, that would be getting married, having a family, owning your own home and living happily ever after. I don’t believe that’s it though. My opinion is that to truly live the American dream, you have to be doing something that you truly enjoy doing.

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  14. The American Dream is something many work their whole lives to achieve. To me the American dream relies completly on success. It is all about working hard and earning something that wasn't necessarily easy but was possible because we live in America. It is something that people from all over the world wish they could have. Many even move to the United States in search for their own American Dream. This is the land of possibilities. You can go from the bottom to the top. Social class doesn't matter. It is all about if you are willing to work for it. I think over time the American Dream has become a reality to more and more people and it has become a little bit easier to acheive and also has partly been based off of luck. I think it is different now because people are dreaming bigger than they ever have before. Nothing is impossible at this day and age and that is why the American Dream continues to be a very special thing to our country. Things can happen here that cannot happen anywhere else.

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  15. The American Dream is representing freedom and hope. It is the idea that you are able to start over and be able to achieve. No matter how big or small your individual dreams are, you are able to achieve them. The American Dream has changed over the generations and I think that new generations are less appreciative of the American Dream. When early generations came to America, the American Dream was almost a focus of life. Everyone strived for the American Dream, but today we rarely even recognize it. I think that the American Dream has almost lost its touch because of all the regulations between immigrants and especially with the “depression” The ideal of the American Dream has changed only because of the way that we perceive it. If we appreciated the American Dream more, than we would have better ideals. I still believe but the ideals in the early generations were better. They were more focused on giving opportunities and having hope in a new life. Speaking for our generation, I think we need to focus on the opportunities handed to us and appreciate what the American Dream can give us.

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  16. The American Dream cannot be defined by one person because there are so many meanings to it. The image that comes to mind is a hard-working citizen who is trying so hard to reach for something that looks obtainable. Unfortunately, this is mostly a delusion because there is not equal opportunity amongst us. I remember reading a book Sophomore year, although I do not recall the title of it, where half the story was about two mexican immigrants who were trying to reach their own dream. They had created a preconceived notion that America was a place where anything could happen. Even though to a certain extent they were right, it is an idealistic thing to believe that one country can provide so much. The main points of the American Dream are wealth, happiness, and security. Of course as the generations of people change, so does the meaning of the American Dream. Now it is more about wealth than ever I believe. Everyone wants what others have and it is sad to see how greed can be the main fuel for this famous dream.

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  17. To me, the American Dream is based on success. To fulfill this dream you have to feel successful in all the different aspects of your life. This would include loving someone unconditionally, and being happily married to that person until the day you die. Having a family with that person. Raising your kids to be the best that they can be. Finding a good american job, that pays well and you enjoy. Also, to be able to continue to become more successful in that job. I think finding a religion that fits your lifestyle would also be part of this dream. Being happy, healthy and wealthy. Having a nice home to live in, and a nice car to drive. Working your whole life to get to where you want to be the day you die. That is my idea of the American Dream.

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  18. The American Dream represents success. Every man and women has dreams and goals they would like to fulfill. These dreams and goals aren’t necessarily easy, but I believe people spend their entire lives trying to accomplish them. Living in the United States, we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to achieve these things. In other countries, less fortunate people are not blessed with the opportunity. Many people migrate to the United States to find opportunity and also in hope of having a better life. The United States is a beautiful and successful place that will continue to grow. As the country grows, the people will continue to expand their goals because more and more opportunity will arise. In past generations, there was less opportunity because technology wasn’t as advanced and many things had not been discovered. I believe that the ideal of the American Dream has not changed over time. People still think the American Dream is living a good and happy life. It was the same in past generations. My Dad has always told me that I am very fortunate to be living the American Dream and I will continue to succeed and by the time I die, I will have completed my American Dream. Although reaching your goals and accomplishing your dreams is never easy, I believe everyone in the United States has a chance to accomplish anything they put their mind to. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful, successful country that provides us with numerous opportunities.

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  19. The American Dream in today's society is pretty similar to the American Dream a generation ago. People either want success, happiness or wealth. I believe that the American Dream is based on happiness. If you're not happy then you can't achieve the American Dream of having great success in your life and doing something you're proud of. To achieve the American Dream you need hard work, perserverance, and determination.

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  20. The American Dream is taking all of the opportunities that you are offered and doing everything you can with them. I think that this is different for each person because everyone has a different dream for themselves and a different interpretation of what the perfect life is. I grew up hearing that the American Dream is having a happy healthy family, a safe house, a stable job, and just generally being happy and content with where you are. It changes generation to generation because each new generation needs more and more and they are setting their standard for the American Dream higher.

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  21. Everybody has their own ideals and their own dreams. Generally, the American dream is thought to be someone being successful and happy with where they have ended up, but everybody is different. Nobody has the same vision of the American dream. This thought is not an easy ride. To achieve the American dream, in everybody's eyes, you most likely have to work hard, and never give up. Majority of people don't ever achieve their dreams. Many people dream of having nice things, their health, happiness, a surrounding family, a nice big pay check, and not having to worry about anything. Many settle for less, not realizing if they only worked harder, that they could have granted their own wish. There are definitely differences between generations' dreams. Now a days, people demand more and more material items and care less about being happy, and more about having nice possessions. In the olden days, people were happy for no apparent reason. Smiles were contagious. People treated each other like actual human beings. Now, majority of people believe if they have a nice phone, car, or even TV, that it would make a difference in their happiness.

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  22. The American Dream is the ability and equal opportunity to pursue the goals you wish to achieve. It represents all the people that worked hard and lost their lives in the pursuit of freedom. Since America came to be, people have come here simply for the chance of great success. There is more opportunity here than in any other country in the world. No other place offers all the different venues for people to display their talents. People can gain publicity in so many ways. The American dream has always seems to have an underlying message of freedom and the pursuit of happiness, but is different for everyone; that's what makes it special. The American dream can be whatever you want it to be, as long as you have the courage to pursue it.

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  23. The American Dream- as everyone has mentioned- changes from place to place, time to time, person to person. It is never the same, yet its curiosity and chance for greatness never fails to rope you in. In the beginning it started as success; to become SOMETHING. To leave your old life behind and find something greater in hopes of a name for yourself. It almost strictly meant coming to America, finding a job, home, family, money and happiness or else the purpose was lost somewhere within the journey. The view of the American Dream is ALWAYS changing, for now I would say that it is personal. You make it what you may. Whether that be becoming a millionaire, or the CEO of the most successful company, or simply to get through this week, to make a new friend, to find something to smile about. It can and is anything that you want it to be. There is no right or wrong answer; for the answer is what you make it. What YOU need it to be.

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  24. In my home, Ive been taught over and over that working hard at what you love and succeeding at it is more rewarding than any other accomplishment. The same thing applies to the American dream. If you're doing what you love and you're doing it well, then your living YOUR dream. That could mean your job, relationships or family, a hobby, or whatever you decide to put effort into.
    In generations before ours, individual definitions of the American dream were pushed aside, or, more like hidden. Expectations took the stage instead, claiming to be that dream life you've been working towards. That could've been going to high-school, college, getting married and raising a family. But not everybody wants that in life; it's not necessarily their goal for the future. Granted, our generation also has expectations, but they take the back seat compared to individual encouragement.
    The American Dream changes all the time. One is more popular than the other or more attractive due to lifestyle. There are aspects that dont change because we're all different; with different goals and backgrounds.

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  25. The american dream is completely different for every person. Living in America I guess I have a generalized idea of the American Dream as the pursuit of life liberty and happiness. Learning about it in history It was the idea that a man had the givin right to own land and make money here. To be free. I think happiness is the biggest ideal that ive been taught about the dream. If your doing what you love you can be living the dream anywhere as long as your happy with your life and your choices. The American dream has changed by generations by the fact that life is constantly on the movie. When the idea of the dream first came out it was the idea that you could come to America and own land and make money for your family. The fact that pretty much all the land has been taken and used, its the idea that you can come to America and get that high paying job to make money and own your own home. It is constantly changing threw time and adapting to todays trends and life styles. It also changes person to person, no one person sees the dream the same.

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  26. When i think of the american dream, i see a person with a job that they like doing and are good at. I see them making whatever they see efficient as far as funds go. The american dream means freedom and the ability to do whatever suits your fancy. The American dream is not just to survive, but to not need a handout from anybody. It involves supporting yourself and maybe the family that you might have. I say that this is an ideal American dream because everybody sees america as a place for opportunity without too much discrimination. People just want to make money to support their lifestyle. A perk of the money making dream is to be able to make money doing something you actually care about. No i do not think that the American dream has changed over time. The ideals of what is "bigger and better" for a generation have changed, but the dream to be bigger and better and/or support thyself has not died out or changed at all.

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  27. I think that the ideal of the American Dream has greatly changed with each generation. The more obsessed we become with money, fame, and looks the more obsessed with being that we become. Generations before us looked at the American dream as something that is achieved only by hard work and perseverence. We now try to achieve what we want through lieing, cheating, and hurting eachother. I think that we do not take pride in just being Americans and being free to do what we want, we think freedom is a right not a privelage. The American Dream varies even within a generation. The way that we are raised and the experiences we have, influence what each of our American Dreams are. We all want different things and that is what makes our country so diverse. Us all wantign different things also is what makes us work, if we all wanted the same thing then we would all be fighting eachother to acheieve that dream. What each of our American Dreams have in common is that it is the single thing that pushes us to work hard and acheive that greatness that we have within us. My parents have shown me how much money does not always mean happiness. They both have jobs that does not bring in the biggest income but they are jobs that we are passionate about. I hope that i grow up to have a job that i could do for the rest of my life and wake up everyday excited to go to work instead of reluctantly dragging myself out of bed. I hope that money will not control what I do and that I will never obsess about what i have and what i do not have.

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  28. The American Dream-in my eyes-is knowing what you want and not letting anything get in your way to receive that. A dream represents more than just success; it represents a lifestyle. A life full of wealth (not the wealth you receive from money but the wealth you obtain when you are loving where you are and what you are doing.) It is a life full of people that are good for you. A dream can change though. You want to get promoted in your job one week, but then, the next week, realize that you want something less materialistic. Everything in this world is constantly changing from day to day. So my question is, Why couldn’t an American Dream change over a period of time as well? It CAN change and it HAS changed. People change it. Time changes it. Generations change it. The first dream was probably coming to America for a better life, a job, a good home, and a good environment; in other words success. But as time progresses it shifts from success to wealth to happiness to more success to…who knows? Today my American Dream is to one day be happy. Just Happy.

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  29. The American Dream is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's all about Freedom and Opportunity, here in America. We want to live how we want to live. For me, it's nice cars, a big house, and money, but as I was reading through the rest of the comments I noticed a lot of different things. Everyone has their own opinion. The ideals of the American Dream stay the same throughout time, but people tend to want different things out of it. Back in the '20's, it was about being fashionable and dancing and making friends and listening to music, but today people, I think, are more worried about their financial status and keeping food on the table. There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor and it's growing. Once again, the ideals stay the same, but the things people want out of it are much different then what it was back in the day.

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  30. The dream of almost every American can practically be found in every movie shown on T.V. or in the theaters or sitting in DVD case on a shelf next to your T.V. the American dream is to find love. And with love comes success and money and a home and a family. Love makes people do so much even if we don’t understand it. Our world has come to believe almost anything put into a movie. In a movie you will see a man or a woman trying to find love or not looking for love but still finding it. Even in action movies there is always that one kiss or that one look in their eyes. Also in a movie you will see them in the end with a good future ahead of them. These movies make people want that. They want to be successful, happy, and loved.
    No the American dream does not change because we always have wanted love and we always will want love.
    But the dream of America is to be the most powerful and successful nation. Jake said the dream is “bigger and better”. And that’s what America wants. We want to be the biggest and the best.

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  31. The American dream, to me...is a really nationalistic things to make the most prominent thing in your life. The american dream can and has been the basis of our capitalist democracy, because it is the drive, or motivation which pushes people to rise from rags to riches. The possibility that a poor man can come up with a brilliant idea, or work his way up the employment chain, until he has a chance to climax upon his goals, and make money to support his and his families needs. This is what America is all about, but the possibility of following the American dream is also measured on other social aspects, such as motivation, background, and in some cases...money status. We all can in some way follow our own form of the american dream, but we must maintain the drive all the way until we reach success. This accomplishment is what we describe as achieving the american dream.

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