how realistic is the american dream?

Question

white pickett fence, 2.5 kids, nice house, nice cars.....the good life. sounds awesome, but it is really feasible today?and if so how has it changed in the last 50 years? and can one really climb out of the projects or trailer park to the upper echelons of society w/o performing arts, or fame, etc............. your comments please

Answer 1

For the top 10%, i.e. the wealthiest Americans, the American Dream is very much their reality. Whatever they want, they get. However, for the 90% of Americans below them, the American dream is slipping aways. Worst of all, if one is in specifically the lower 50%, the American Dream has turned into a nightmare of working harder and longer with fewer benefits, less pay, and the purchasing power of their income has declined substantially.

Answer 2

Actually, it's never been feasible. About 20% of the population realized what would be called the "American Dream." That's the problem with dreams, isn't it? Not everyone gets there...

And, yes, there is room for success. I was born into a poor family from the Texas Panhandle, and my wife and I fall into that 20%. We both have six figure incomes, nice cars, a big house, a boat, not debt, and the prospects of early retirement. However, it took A LOT of hard work and education. I worked my way through college doing three jobs and have climbed the ladder quickly, rather than getting comfortable in any one job. You've got to take ownership of your career and really work at it.

Answer 3

meet my hubby, Verne. We got married 17 years ago. We lived in a matchbox called a trailer. He was between jobs. No health insurance and a baby on the way. We were deep in debt within 5 years. We dug ourselves out of that hole on dollar at time. Then 1998 he decided to go into business for himself in heating and air. He had a van and tools and nothing else. He worked out of our garage. Here we are in 2007, he has a shop equipped with a installation crew, a service team and an office staff and last year did a half million in buisness. This year it is looking like even a little more on that number. It has been a rough ride but he has gotten there. The american dream is real-just it comes with bloody knuckles and a whole lot of hard work.

Answer 4

Not realistic at all.... you dream for all the materliastic things and forget what truly matters.

We should always be motivated and ambitious, however, there are some realities in life that we should be satisfied with and accept. That's the real happiness. Bieng content with what you already have.

Appreciate family, love and friendship. Work to live and help others. Bieng happy does not mean having two cars.
Never forget what the real dream is or what real happiness is. materialisticaly we all have different measures, but we all need and desire love, support, friendship and a healthy life.

Answer 5

the yank Dream as I understood it, isn't a lifelike purpose for all. area of the yank dream replace into to have the means to purchase a house the place you grew up (in case you so needed), My husband and that i the two grew up in cities that no first time homestead customer in todays worldwide could have adequate funds. It was once which you purchased your "starter" homestead and progressively moved as much as the homestead you are able to spend the the remainder of your existence in. Now human beings get into those starter residences and discover that the fairness they benefit isn't close to adequate to place a dent in a extra high priced homestead it particularly is gaining fee on an analogous speed, and those are the fortunate ones. one ingredient that i think of outcomes this the main is the tax gadget. those that make an analogous quantity of money with an analogous relatives length in kansas are taxed comparable to those in California. In Kansas that funds is going a lot further. That hefty tax bill that a relatives of four in California gets is a extensive impediment to them with the flexibility to maintain for a house.

Answer 6

i thought the american dream had changed and now everybody wants to be famous.

i think the american dream you mentioned is very realistic, unless you want to live in a major city like NY or LA. In the midwest I think it's very possible.

Yes I believe that someone can climb out of the projects if they learn discipline and delayed gratification.

Answer 7

I moved to Florida 13 years ago with $50 and a beat up old Camaro. Now married, 1 kid, nice truck, annual income (combined) over $150,000. We have a nice house that is worth over $100,000 more than we owe. I made it this far by working hard, keeping a good job, buying and selling houses (fixing them up...then selling)

Answer 8

It depends what you actually mean by the "American Dream". I always thought that it meant that if a person was willing to work hard enough towards a goal the opportunities are there. People need to quit depending on other things to give them what the want.

Answer 9

If the American dream is the same as the Great Australian dream , then it's buggered.. Too many taxes , not enough in the hand pay and corrupt politicians... The rich get richer and the poor get poorer....

Answer 10

the American dream is different for everyone

and yes you can obtain it
work very hard sacrifice and you can be successful too

i went back to school at an older age
now i own a company and have the dream in grasp
but i had to work very very hard to get here