The American Dream post Deux

The American Dream - An idea that shaped the nation


The American Dream has been a large part of our history. The idea was formed before the country was even created. Puritans, middle class men and women, came to the unknown country seeking religious prosperity. Their dream for religious freedom was only the first step of what was to become the American Dream.

After time as the towns were being created in the colonies, people were enjoying the fruits of their labor. The Dream was changing and people were working hard to move up ranks socially and economically. With hard work, it was near-possible to achieve anything. The sensations of Upward mobility enticed the people and caused them to work with diligence and effort.

The Dream was prosperous as immigrants flooded the borders of the US. The Dream had expanded past its boundaries and reached the people of other nations looking for the good life. Even today immigrants continue to come, and every day a new Dream lives in the US.

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream for equality, equality for all. The American Dream was not only for a few, but for anyone willing to work hard and do what they truly believed in.

Unfortunately the Dream has taken many hits in the past. Technology and automation, globalization, outsourcing, generation gaps, marketing and more have been factors in the deterioration of the American Dream.

The essence and integrity of upward mobility had vanished with the invention of the assembly line. No longer were workers and managers equals, working side by side, being paid close to the same amount. A gap had begun to form between lower and middle/upper class jobs, especially in wealth. No longer would hard work get you far, as you were easily replaceable in the assembly line. Automation destroyed incentive to work hard with the intention of moving up, or going somewhere.

In recent events, outsourcing has played a big part because not only are you replaceable with workers in the US, you're replaceable with workers in the globe! And with that, a reduction in middle class jobs has occurred and even greater separation between rich and poor has never been so obvious.

And as the years go by, it seems that people are becoming out of touch with the American Dream, especially the youth. They are so caught up with technology and the newest reality show that they rarely give it a thought. They're so caught with today's spectacle that they seem to becoming out of touch with much of history.

Others have associated it with a 1950's lifestyle. A family, dad goes to work, mom stays at home, kids go to school. They have a home in a suburban town with a white picket fence and a milk man who comes every Tuesday. But that was not, and is not the reality of the Dream. The Dream has changed and even evolved over time. It's such a broad term, and such an expansive meaning, it encompasses many topics.

So I'm not writing a manifesto, or calling for revolutionary change here. I'm just asking for some awareness about this fascinating oddity which is the American Dreams. It has taken a beating, one from which it may never recover from, but it is not dead. Not as long as immigrants are crossing the border, risking their lives in hope of a better life. Or small business owners hoping to succeed. This country was founded on hopes and dreams and that's why it should never be forgotten or over-looked for future generations to come.