“The American Dream is a term that is often used but also often misunderstood. It isn't really about becoming rich or famous. It is about things much simpler and more fundamental than that.” (Marco Rubio). So if the American Dream is not about money, what is it about? What is the American dream, is it the Pursuit of Happiness? The answer is buried in the term success. Defined by Merriam Webster the term “success” means “the correct desired result”.
The American Dream is not about having the highest paying job or being a millionaire. If one wastes money one a nice car, a new home, a boat, or whatever their heart desires are they living the American Dream or are they just wasting money? They think having that new car is going to make them happy, or that new job or a raise is going to make them that much happier. Is it really going to? This can differ
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between people. If a poor man is given a one-hundred dollar bill he's going to feel rich, but if a rich man is given the same amount of money he's going to feel nothing. Money has little to do with the American Dream. Some of the richest people in the world are the most depressed, and depression has nothing to do with the Pursuit of Happiness. The definition of the American dream in the book The Epic of America 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 a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." This works coherently with the Deceleration of Independence which states “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Neither of these definitions have anything to do with material things. In fact The Epic of America clearly says the American Dream is much more than money and cars. The American Dream simply and truly is to be everything that one can possibly be, anything less and they may have failed. Whether one was born a millionaire or a ditch digger, they both can meet the same level of success, happiness. The Deceleration of Independence states that “all men” have the “unalienable right” to life and liberty but only the pursuit to happiness.
The document never clearly defines what the Pursuit of Happiness is, so how do we know? The American Dream can not exist with out the Pursuit of Happiness. This is because for one to meet their highest level of success they have to want it. While one can be temporarily satisfied with money and power it's the hard wok, and feeling of accomplishment that makes them happy. Without the “want to” the Pursuit of Happiness brings there is no American Dream, it's just a dream, nothing more. However, if one has the drive to keep climbing up the ladder, we call society, the American Dream becomes real, and for that person the sky is the limit. Now a new question arises. Can one ever reach the Pursuit of Happiness? Well, if one reached it the drive to go further in life would die and the American Dream with it. The Pursuit of Happiness may not be touchable, but that's why its a pursuit. It's a need to feel self worthy and the love for contributing to the community through the American
Dream. They work hand in hand, the American Dream and the Pursuit of Happiness. The American Dream calls to push ones self to be everything that person can be, and the Pursuit of Happiness is the pursuit toward what one wants to make of their life. So if a ditch digger wants to be a millionaire nothing in either of these definitions says he can't. Its all about trying to reach ones full potential and letting it be the death of them. One must live their life as the American dream calls for and never stop the search of the Pursuit of Happiness.
“Living the American Dream” If you look up the meaning of the American Dream, you will keep finding definitions similar to this one: “the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.” The real meaning of the American Dream, however, varies from whom you ask. Many people argue that the American Dream is alive and well, whereas others might argue that the dream is pretty much dead. If you ask me what I think, I personally believe that the American Dream was once a farfetched goal of the people of America, where people dreamed of going from rags to riches. Though the dream might still be alive, it is no longer what it used to be.
The American dream can be defined as the promise of living in America with opportunities for all, regardless of social class, and according to their ability and effort (Schnell, 2010). Proponents of the American dream believe that there is equal opportunity for all in the American society to achieve success. Success is not pegged on social status, race, or creed, but rather on an individual’s own efforts. The definition of the American dream has unique interpretations to different people. The most common meaning is that of a life of abundance and prosperity, characterized by economic rewards that enable one to live a middle class life of comfort. Here, success is measured by material possessions such as beautiful homes, cars, a high income, and the ability to spend on luxury items. America is considered a land of plenty, and as such, many who come to the United States in search of the American dream have this form of success in mind.
Everyone dreams to achieve something in life. Many people strive to be a better parent, better athlete, or just a better person all around. How do they achieve this though? Do they work harder, spend more time with one another, or strive for more money and nicer items? Some say this could be the American Dream, have a good job, family, and money to buy whatever they may wish, but what is the real cost of the American Dream? Most people end up with debt till death, never being there for the ones that love them, or working to impress the people who do not really matter. Today the American Dream is still alive and will be around for as long as people dream and strive towards their dreams.
What is the American Dream? Is it fame or fortune? Franklin Roosevelt explained the American Dream as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The American Dream is the idea of becoming successful through work, although, this is not always achievable because people in America are not always treated equally, and not everybody has an equal opportunity to reach the American Dream.
Truth Behind the American Dream: Is the American Dream only a dream or can it ever be achieved? In the United States, the basic motto is to attend the American Dream. It is the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. It does not matter if a person was born into a poor family; he or she has equal opportunities to attain the American Dream. The American Dream basically means success in life with a nice house, a job, knowledge and especially the pursuit of happiness.
Everyone has their own interpretation of the “American Dream” but no one can truly defend it unless they have experienced, Base on the three short stories “America and I” by Anzia Yezierska, “Among the poor girls” by Wirt Sikes, and “Eyewitness at the triangle” by William Shepard. But what is an “American Dream” it could mean anything, the general definition is an image of a dream for U.S citizen should have an equal right or opportunities to achieve great success and prosperity. It just doesn't exist for everyone because there are still homeless people on the street or people who are working very hard get very little pay so it's just a shadow.
Achieving the American Dream has been the ideal for people living in the United States for decades. People believed that the way to get there was through hard work, also known as the “Protestant work ethic”. The American Dream can vary depending on the person. Some people think that owning a house with a white picket-fence is the American Dream while others think that it is becoming a celebrity with a lot of money.
What is the American Dream? There are a myriad of aspects to it, but one general idea: the ideal life. It is making a lot of money, being respected, and triumphing difficult situations. The American Dream has been pursued by many, but only few make it all the way.
First, what is the American dream? According to David Wallechinsky, “the traditional American Dream is based on the belief that hardworking citizens can improve their lives, pay their monthly bills without worry, give their children a start to an even better life, and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire” (1). “The American Dream” states, “It has always represented the possibility for individuals to succeed and live a life of wealth and comfort, made possible by both the political and economic attitudes in the USA and the individual’s own hard work” (1). Daniella Nicole adds that “in years past, chasing the American Dream meant the sky was the limit. . .” (1).
The American dream is the idea held by many in the United States of America that through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity.
Thoughts of freedom come to mind. As our Star Spangled Banner tells us, America is “…the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Freedom is often associated with America. Also, happiness comes to mind when referring to the American Dream. With all of this success and freedom, how can you not be happy in America? All of these aspects of the American Dream are debatable. They do not all have to be present to fulfill the American Dream. One doesn’t have to be financially well off to be successful. Having a happy, healthy family would definitely satisfy the requirements of the American Dream. If you don’t have a family, being happy with how you run your life would satisfy the requirements for the American Dream, also. These aspects are all possible trade-offs, but they can all be present, too. The idea of the American Dream from a few generations ago is different from what it is today. All of the aspects of the American Dream were fulfilled before, but recently the m...
The American Dream is exactly what it seems to be: the chance for people to have hope of achieving something great. However, it demands pleasure of every victory one has earned, and the desire is always demanding one to work slightly harder and gain slightly more than someone else. Some may say The American Dream is no longer attainable because in many ways it is getting harder to find good paying jobs and harder to get noticed for skills one possesses. But to the majority of people, the American Dream is still attainable, it just isn’t the American dream one is taught to pursue at an early age.
"The American Dream" is that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with options for each according to capacity or accomplishments. It is a dream of social stability in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve to the fullest distinction of which they are essentially competent, and be distinguish by others for what they are, despite of the incidental conditions of birth or stance. The American Dream is often something that humanity wonders about. What is the American dream? Many people discover success in a range of things. There are many different definitions of the American Dream. However, the American Dream embraces prosperity, personal safety, and personal liberty. The American dream is a continually fluctuating set of ideals, reflecting the ideas of an era.
For everyone in this country “The American Dream” varies throughout the country. Many people from other countries come here to seek what they have been opposed from in their own countries. They see America as the land of the great, and the land of the free, but their are many flaws that aren’t shown on tv. Some come to this country to find work and better themselves along with their family. While other just want to become famous and make money for themselves.
In the Oxford Dictionary, the American Dream is defined as the traditional social ideals of the United States of America: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. People have the right of life and liberty, but happiness is not a right. Happiness can only be given by the amount of effort a person gives. People who have determination to devote their Life and exercise their Liberty to the accomplishment of discovering their talent and use what they like doing to achieve a goal. The film, Pursuit of Happiness, shows the American Dream being achieved by the main character, Chris Gardner, by working hard and using his talents. Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness goes through overcoming obstacles which shows that the American Dream is possible through faith, perseverance, and a focus on family values.