What is the american dream?

Question

It is a somewhat nebulous idea. If you have any insight, it'd be greatly appreciated; if you could leave (or email me) your name (optional but greatly appreciated, just for sighting purposes you wont be contacted or anything) and the job or career you have or had. Thank you!

Answer 1

Egads, well the direction this country is going to lately, it seems to be living way beyond your means trying to keep up with some way unrealistic standard set by someone else, to a point where half the people are "house poor" (which means you are spending so much on a house that you have nothing for anything else, and people are becoming enslaved to 3 jobs just to make thier minimum payments each month. Not good. When I was growing up, people lived within thier means. There was a time when the American Dream meant you could get a good job, or even make your own job, enjoy a nice house (I don't mean over-extended in a Mcmansion for 2 people) have a nice family, a car, generally to enjoy the best lifestyle you can afford (note that I used the word *afford*), generally, a car in every driveway, and a chicken in every pot.
At one time the American Dream also meant that whatever situation you were handed, you could always do better, if you apply yourself to working hard, getting an education, and such, even if you came from a not too promising background, you could still make something of yourself. This is still possible, but a lot harder than it once was......
Nowadays, so many of the American manufacturing jobs that built this country have gone over seas, we used to be industrial leaders, now we are just ultimate consumers and end users, and people are getting snowed in to this idea that in order to live well, they have to keep up with some insane standard, the American Dream is fading in a big way.....
The American Dream is the pursuit of happiness, we are not guaranteed happiness, but we are guaranteed the right to pursue happiness, in whatever way we might be able to (physically, spritually, and emotionally). This pursuit has become way distorted though, and become a material nightmare for many, who have been sold a bill of goods that happiness means having the biggest, and latest, and most expensive whatever, and instead of finding happiness, they are finding stress, marital discord, nervous breakdowns, and humongous debts they will never stand a chance of paying off, while they work multiple jobs to make thier minimum payments, and have no time at all to themselves, or to spend enjoying dinner with the family, because they are way over extended ferrying the kids around to every expensive extra curricular activity out there, instead of playing with them, or telling them to go play with each other out in the yard..... I am a career retailer,and own my own business. The economics experts in the news are all hemming and hawing that we might possibly have a 50% chance of going in to a recession in the future, and as a career retailer, I am here to tell you we are *in* a recession, right now, and have been for some time, at least in the major metropolitan area where I live... as near as I can tell, it is being brought on by things like people buying a house big enough for 3 families, and winding up being foreclosed on, and things of that sort.

Answer 2

the american Dream become unsustainable from the getgo. Do your justifiable share and also you'll get a constructive living house contained in the suburbs, artwork till you're sixty 5, retire, receive free money from the authorities once you retire. regrettably, this isn't obtainable contained in the international of truth. if you're no longer generating any wealth for an monetary gadget, and take money out from that similar monetary gadget, then that produces a unfavorable effect. In any monetary gadget, that unfavorable stability will seize up and the rustic in basic terms isn't waiting to pay the bill on that is personal monetary gadget. So the rustic borrows, is now in debt to a distinct usa, and turns round to do the very similar element. This dream has been in a conflict for existence for a lengthy time period now, and that is taking that is totally last blow from this poor monetary situation.

Answer 3

There is the "American Dream" in terms of founding a model of freedom and democracy and national destiny. And, the "American Dream" of the individual to achieve a rewarding career, happy family life , freedom of their faith, and recreation. Some of the criticism of America is of the excesses that are part and parcel of having a maximum of freedom. We are not content to have a disadvantaged segment of society and are always working on programs to bring them into the fold. Having rejected the concepts of royalty and caste, one is able to move freely to fulfill any goals, success, or lifestyle they are willing to work for.

Answer 4

the American dream is bull sh*t. maybe the original American dream was fine and dandy but all that the American dream has become is a relentless passion for money. f that.

I'm tired of caring, living, and fighting for just me.

Answer 5

To be free
To be in Love and be loved
To be healthy
To not want for anything
To be able to help others when needed
To feel good about themselves
To find someone that can rule this government for its good and the peoples and NOT themselves
To find a new kind of fuel
To solve the worlds problems for hunger and education
The list is endless....
To be HAPPY,HEALTHY and LOVED and needed

Answer 6

Go to high school
Go to college and university
Find job
Merry a co-worker
Have kids
And Pay bills for the rest of your life...

Wonderful, isn't it?

Answer 7

6 values that originated in the west: Hard work, individualism, universalism, wealth,activism, and rationality.

Answer 8

Debt: How much debt one can accumulate in a lifetime.

Answer 9

To build a better mousetrap.