The
American Dream Dead
“The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream… in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable.” James Truslow Adams, an American historian persuades that humans are not defined by their dreams, but rather by their form of achieving their dreams. The definition of the American Dream is flawed as it means something different to each individual human being, yet it is the goal of every American. It symbolizes success, determination, and hard work; something that not every person is capable of achieving due to many obstacles. Due to the consistent misconceptions of the American Dream, it is something that is slowly reaching its end. In his book The Working Poor, author David K. Shipler claims that the American Dream is dead because there are too many problems in the education system, economy becomes a restrictive factor, desire overrides necessities, and power becomes abused.
No School; No American Dream
The
American Dream becomes impaired when education becomes something that is much
harder to achieve. Nowadays, education is essential for a good future and
success is determined by an exceptional education. With new technology day by
day, people must be very well educated to be able to cope with new
modernizations. There are many restrictions that keep individuals from
attending good schools and receiving a satisfactory education. “A monopolistic government school system keeps
the poor from achieving their dreams, as many remain locked in failing
government schools, producing graduates who lag behind in subjects that matter”
(Thomas 569). When individuals are kept from attending good schools, they are
being restrained from a successful lifestyle in the outside world. Individuals
whose knowledge is not able to accommodate with society’s expectations are
considered to be underprivileged. As a result, the American Dream becomes
defective because individuals without the opportunity to attend school and
obtain a good education lag behind in our broken society.
A Broken Economy
The
economy is an essential cause for the struggle of reaching the American Dream.
Reality hits when people have to balance priorities between getting a good
education, working sufficient hours and supporting the family. The economy lies
very unstable, which causes problems particularly to the lower classes who
dream of achieving a better lifestyle. “Some economist and politicians argue
that supporting the richest sectors of the American economy will bring economic
stability and full recovery” (King 575). The richer sectors of the American
economy are drowning in wealth while the lower classes struggle for existence.
The people who are less stable in the economy and are more poor are the ones
who need the most help by the government. As a result, inequality is a critical
factor that hinders the economy and impairs the American Dream. "The
American ideal embraces an equality of opportunity for every person but not an
equality of result" (Shipler 88). Individuals are believed to have equal
opportunities, but are restricted due to their economic standpoint. The American
Dream is flawed due to inequality within our economy.
Needs before Luxuries
The
American Dream becomes destroyed when people feel the need to put their desires
before their necessities. Our world becomes a place where money can buy
happiness, which destroys the underlying meaning of success. “Millions of
middle-class families buy houses they can’t really afford, taking on more
mortgage debt than they can safely handle” (Krugman 587). People are stretched
beyond their limits in order to pursue a good lifestyle. In our society, wealth
is a representation of success.
The idea of wealth blinds individuals into
believing that it symbolizes the American Dream. People persevere to
have, not necessarily what they need, but to have materialistic things that
they most desire. Consequently, the American Dream becomes overpowered by
luxuries and materialistic objects.
Exploitation of Power
As
people begin to escalate in their position, the American Dream becomes flawed
when power is abused. Company owners take advantage of their employees,
therefore destroying the dream of individuals who sit beneath those in control.
“An Oregon Jury found [Walmart] guilty in December of systematically forcing
employees to work overtime without pay” (Olsson 608). The company was taking
too much power into their control and felt the need to force their employees
into unjust working hours without being compensated. Having power being abused
like this demolishes the possibility of our world sitting at an equal
standpoint. The American Dream is unrealistic due to unjustifiable treatment of
workers and exploitation of power. As
people begin to escalate in their position, the American Dream becomes flawed
when power is abused. Company owners take advantage of their employees, therefore
destroying the dream of individuals who sit beneath those in control. “An
Oregon Jury found [Walmart] guilty in December of systematically forcing
employees to work overtime without pay” (Olsson 608). The company was taking
too much power into their control and felt the need to force their employees
into unjust working hours without being compensated. Having power being abused
like this demolishes the possibility of our world sitting at an equal
standpoint.
David
K. Shipler, author of The Working Poor, argues that the American Dream
is non-existent, due to educational requirements, economic restrictions, greedy
desires and overly abused power. There are so many obstacles that interfere
with individuals reaching the “American Dream”. Our broken society causes
inequalities among individuals that impair the opportunity for prosperity. The
American Dream is flawed by the misconceptions that people have. It is not
about having the most money or the most power; it is about being able to
achieve a higher goal. It is not about reaching the American Dream; it is about
making your American Dream come true.
Works
Cited
King,
Brandon. "The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?". They Say
I Say: With Readings.
2e. 2012. Print.
Krugman,
Paul. "Confronting Inequality". They Say I Say: With Readings. 2e.
2012. Print.
Olsson,
Karen. "Up Against Wal-Mart". They Say I Say: With Readings.
2e. 2012. Print.
Shipler,
David. The Working Poor: Invisible in America. New York: Vintage Brooks,
2005. Print
Thomas,
Cal. "Is the American Dream Over?". They Say I Say: With Readings.
2e. 2012. Print.
