How do you define the American Dream?

Question

Is it having a better life than your parents had, being happy with yourself, being successful? All of these things seem to lend themselves to greed and selfishness. Is that what the American Dream really is all about?

Answer 1

Perhaps 99% of people will think as you mention, but a few will think otherwise.
How about "real" press-liberty not that press as we see (biased) as CNN or CBS or ABC or NBC. Example: Michael Moore.
How about the fact that you can actually, in free democracy, question the existance of a bi-partisan political monopoly system called Democrats and Republicans ???

How about the fact that the American Dream is not necessarily $$$$ but Liberty, Tolerance and Respect ??? Why not to consider the American Dream the possibility that we can get free medical attention as most countries in the world do ???

The American Dream is actually Utopialand.

Answer 2

The American Dream Defined

Answer 3

Honestly, it's different for everyone. Over half of the population, I think, is dead set on doing what you've said; being happy with themselves, living a good life, and being successful; but that may or may not be selfish: a farmer can only make so much of a difference but, say, a famous doctor can help the whole world. Personally, I want to be successful so I can help someone who needs it. The "American Dream", as you put it, is that we all have an equal opportunity to do what we want. (Which we sort of do and we sort of don't, so it ends up being whatever you believe in the end, doesn't it?)

Answer 4

The freedom to choose my own path and the security with which to start my walk.
As a child, I thought the American dream was all about money.
Now I am a parent and my dream is being able to provide a safe and loving home for my family. If that means living in America, so be it.

Answer 5

I don't think that the American Dream is about greed. I think it is about opportunities. The opportunities to explore what you want from your life. The ability do try things instead of being forced to do something out of simple tradition. This is what makes it a free country. The problem is that with so many opportunities comes greed. Not everyone is affected by it, but it sure does affect a lot of people. We want bigger and better and more. We don't know when to stop.

Answer 6

there's nothing greedy or selfish about wanting everything. Greed and selfishness come into play when you seek to achieve these things to the detriment of another. The world is an abundant place, there is enough of everything to go around to everyone who wants it. Luckily, everyone wants something different. Some dream of a large house, others want a fast car, others want to never go hungry, others want a life of travel, others want to end problems in the world, others want to preserve the environment, others want to live on the ocean or on a mountaintop. People don't all want the same things. There's nothing greedy about having goals and dreams in life; about striving for something better. Greed would be taking taking taking everything, even things you didn't want in an effort to make sure everyone else had nothing. Selfishness would be to take what you want from others, without attempting to earn honestly or otherwise become the rightful owner of the things you want. People tend to see through greed and selfishness. Nothing major in this world can be accomplished alone, and no one will want to jump on board to help someone if they don't believe they'll be helped in return. Would you? Can you think of anyone who has accomplished huge things without helping others along the way? Even shrewd businessmen who appear to be cold hearted and calculating have helped others up along the way. Helping otherc can be as complicated as teaching them skills to improve their lives, providing employment, improving the appearance or safety of exterior spaces, research in medical and industrial fields, etc. Progress is good. Success is good. Being a loser with no goals doesn't help anyone. There's nothing noble about suffering in a world where there are so many opportunities and options.

Answer 7

I believe that the American Dream is doing a job that makes you happy and not having to worry too much about your finances. I don't the American Dream is being a millionaire but I think it's about happiness.

Answer 8

Having the freedom to choose your own path in life...where and how you want to work, live, believe & worship. That freedom of individual choice and responsibility for one's own life is what the American Dream is about.

Want to make tons of money? Want to be a beach bum? Want to be a missionary, or a priest, or a CEO or a cashier, in America, the government can't tell us what we have to be, who we have to worship, where we have to live.

For many, its being able to build the life they want to have, and yes, for many people its about money. But it is really much more. In America, we can own land, many countries that isn't possible. In America, we can worship whatever we want for a religion, or have none. Many countries have a "state" religion, or do not allow individuals to choose or worship any religion. In America, we can live where we want to by simply moving. You can travel, own a bunch of stuff, or have any kind of house you want, as long as you work for it.

In my 20's, I spent 6 months working in a Socialist country. It floored me to realize how much the government controlled of peoples lives. They couldn't own land. Even farmers just rented from the government. 1/3 of the people worked for the government just keeping track of the programs the other people were involved in. Most people lived in apartments, and as they moved along the social ladder, the government chose where they lived based on thier income, number of people in an household, and amount of work they did. It was not uncommon for a young couple to move 10 times in their 20's, until they were producing more than they were consuming in government wealth. Once they were making big bucks, the tax rates took most of their extra money, so the people were very lazy. There was no incentive to really work hard, because it all got redistributed to the ones who were home rasing kids, elderly, or students. So the 30-60 year olds supported everyone else, whether they had kids or not. Sure, it sounded good if you were lazy, but most producers left the country for American Dream. I didn't like Socialism at all, being an American Girl at heart. The people had very few choices to make, the goverment made them for them, right down to the food they ate. There were two choices at most for most food products. Lots of stuff was banned. Everything you read was kept track of, every newspaper, every magazine, every book. There was a social ID card that kept track of everything.

So to me, the American Dream is about freedom to do, be, think, worship, dream, live and own what you want, when you want. I cherish it.

Answer 9

It was to own my own property and be able to pass that down to my children and grandchildren. Now it's to be able to get enough money out of this country so my children and grandchildren will actually be able to have a piece of my hard work rather than it going to an ineffectual government, and a society of lazy asses unwilling to work for own food or health care.

Answer 10

To me, it would be to have a place to live, enough food to eat, enough money to get thru each month and best of all, to know Jesus Christ as my Personal Lord and Savior. And the hope of eternal life in the next life in Heavon for all Eternity. Period. The End..