American Dream Sociology

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The American dream was a idea that people used to motivate them to achieve success in America, but do people actually think it is still attainable. This is the question that many people are debating due to the climate in our country on the issue of immigration and issues surrounding minority groups in America. To understand the ideas of the American Dream, one must look at its origins and original purpose of the American dream along with how the dream is applicable to day and in effect in today’s society. In addition to this, the American Dream has to be looked at from multiple perspectives through social and economic classes. Prior to even the creation of America, the concept of the land of America being a free territory for people to come …show more content…

Socio-economic status may define how individuals think, how they act, the way people behave, the outfits individuals choose to wear, and furthermore, the use of language. Wealth tends to affect how one looks, where one eats, the stores one chooses to shop, the education one receives, and the occupations one may hold throughout life. In addition, it may also affect the person one chooses to love, the friends one has, the quality of one's health, and above all it shapes the perspective individuals have of their own existence. It then becomes relevant to question whether if Americans are able to forge their own destiny and to question the true validity of the American Dream.” (Marin). Americans who are in or below the poverty line often feel trapped in it. They feel like they are stuck in this unfortunate and unfair cycle of poverty and they cannot get out it. Due to this, they no longer even try to escape it, but rather they just adjust to it and settle for a poor quality of life. These people simply do not have the resources that the wealthier Americans in this country have, which disables them to not receive a good college degree or obtain a high paying job that would help them escape this cycle. On the other hand, people who do have the resources to get these things such as a degree and nice job, further separate themselves from the lower classes because they continue to excel while the lower class struggles for simple necessities. This too adds to the cycle because as the lower class sees this, they become even more discouraged and left behind motivating them less and less. “The ten thousand dollars is the first thing on everyone's mind because they are so accustomed to being worried about having enough money. Like many Americans the Youngers have had to struggle to make ends meet.” (Hansberry) This quote

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