The American Dream Its Not All About Money Essay

As individuals, we have our own ideas of what the American Dream consists of. To some it may be the realm of possibilities, while to others it may be fame and fortune. America is the only country in which the idea of a national dream has been continually upheld, and we have been a model for other nations to follow. Foreigners have come here to live the dream, and all the while Americans are still struggling to find it. As we continue to search high and low for how to find or how we can buy the dream and make it a reality, Americans have promiscuously thrown their money around in hopes of obtaining the dream and consequently are broke and more miserable than ever. Does the American Dream actually exist, and if so, is there really a†¦show more content†¦The American Dream has been altered many times over. Americans have wanted more for the next generation than what they themselves had. The coinage â€Å"American Dream† didnt come from our forefathers as some pro bably think, but from the book The Epic of America, by James Truslow Adams in 1931. â€Å"Yet there was never any promise...of extreme success [with the American Dream]† (Kamp). Adams version of the dream, however, was no longer equality but â€Å"according to his ability or achievement.† Thus, in 1935, the Social Security Act was put into place, resulting in benefits paid out to retirees â€Å"with built-in protection from penury† (Kamp). This was the first specific goal placed on the American Dream. Another tenet set on the dream was home ownership. â€Å"Owning a home lies at the heart of the American Dream† says President Bush according to economist Paul Krugman in a 2008 New York Times Column. Politicians made it out that Americans who didnt own a home, were considered second class and not a real native. William J. Levitt, where â€Å"Levittown† comes from, played a another role in â€Å"making home ownership a new tenet of the Amer ican Dream† (Kamp). The dream was transforming from aspirations to specific goals, more often than not, purchased goals. It now included a house, a car or two, a television, and being able to send ones children to college. The American Dream was becoming focused onShow MoreRelatedCompare And Contrast The Ways In Which The American Dream Is Presented Through Walter Younger In Lorraine Hansberry1711 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Compare and contrast the ways in which the American Dream is presented through Walter Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘ A Raisin in the Sun’ and Willy Lehman in Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of the Salesman’ The American Dream is something many Americans desire. The desire to the mind – set or belief that anyone can be successful if they worked hard for what they’ve been yearning. 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