Saturday, October 20, 2012

The American Dream


What do most Americans and immigrants expect to receive in return of their hard work in America? A good house? Wealth? The perception of the American dream can be very deceiving. The typical, mainstream image of the American dream is generally a family with two kids, a small 2 story house, and a yard with a white picket fence. This image, which social media drills into our minds, causes many people to set their goal in life to achieve this and only this. If you don't achieve this particular image, you are not seen to be living the "American dream." But is reality, the American dream varies from person to person, and from situation to situation.

Do you believe that Bill Gates, now, would want to live in a small two story house? I doubt it. But he has still achieved the American dream of thousands of people: wealth. However, while wealth is the American dream of one person, doesn't mean that it is the American dream of everyone. Another person's American dream might be raising a loving family or getting a college degree or developing a video game.

People will set goals in their lives. At one time in their life, they might want to buy a house and at another time, a car. The problem with the misconception of the American dream is that people may set the bar too high or too low. Not everyone can have a two-story house with a white picket fences. Not everyone is going to become wealthy. That does not meant they have failed in America or that they are not leading happy lives. Just as everyone's fingerprints are unique, everyone's American dream is too.

Now everyone reading this post, take a step back and ask yourself, what does that American dream mean to you and to what lengths will you go to achieve it?

If you need a better idea of what the American dream is and its history you can click the link below. It will open a new window.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-american-dream.htm

No comments:

Post a Comment