The American Dream Dead Alive Analysis

Cal Thomas’s paper is not totally against the idea of the American dream dying but, works to explain why it is dying while Brandon King’s essay stresses that the American dream is more alive than ever and goes on to prove why. When comparing Cal Thomas’s writing to Brandon King’s writing three main points were used which were discussing the American dream in regards to each writer, the second point covered texts or outside writing used in each author’s paper, finally the third point went over each author’s views on the American dream today and what in their paper proved their

The ideals of American Dream may have changed from those of the past however “we have adapted the values that contained within the American Dream to meet new challenges” (615). The Great Recession and other mis-fortuned have not broken the American Dream, King believes that it was “necessary and imperative”(615)indicating that a change. Today as long as people have the “potential to work for an honest, secure way of life and save for the future” (611) a better life is to come. King created a contrast in the views of liberal economists and activists, who think the American dream is dead, with facts from a survey done in 2009 by the New York Times. For example, the “survey found that 72 percent of Americans still believed it was possible to start poor, work hard, and become rich in America” (611).

The American dream is a term used in a lot of ways. Although research has shown that American dream can’t be attainable by most people, closer examination shows that it can be attainable by the following reasons. As Daniel J. Mitchell stated in New York Times im January 1st, 2015 “The United States is not a perfect country, but the American Dream is still a reality.” By that he meant that even with America’s Grow rate, poverty, unemployment rate in the past years and still going Americans can still chase their American dreams If we look at the history and the definition it shows that infact it is possible to attain it.

The American Dream is still alive, but you must be willing to try how they say if you want to be successful as much as you want to breath then, you will be successful! In the book Great Gatsby the character Gatsby shows that American is possible he might have done it the right way, but he accomplish that dream of his. If you how ever do not decide to chase after that American Dream you will get nothing in life you will fail because the American Dream is happiness and the key to success. Any thing else is not what you

This double nature transforms the American Dream into an ambiguous and puzzling concept that puts noble ends on one side and the means to achieve those ends on the other side. As a result, the American Dream is simultaneously “a set of ‘free’ ideals whose worth cannot be measured in market terms, and a wish list of goods with expensive tags” (Calder, 1999, p.4). He goes one step further into emphasizing the obsession with materialism by pointing at the strangeness of having the means (materialistic goods) be more expressive and expensive than the goals (noble ends). These means have also become contemporary symbols of what the American Dream stands

What is the American Dream? The American Dream is defined by the ideal that life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. In the article “ American Dream? Or Mirage?” by Michael W. Kraus, Shai Davidai, and A. David Nussbaum, the idea that the lower you are on the wealth/class scale the more you believe in the american dream, whilst on the other hand the higher you are, the more you think it is just luck rather than merit. Professor Kraus et al were wrong in saying that the American Dream is still alive when in truth the American Dream is dying if it is not already dead not only in the upper class but also in the lower class.

However, according to King’s thesis, he supposedly believes that “[the American Dream] is the key to climbing out of the Great Recession, overcoming inequality, and achieving true prosperity.” (573) Yet in his final statement, he concludes that “planning for the future by saving more and enacting policies that sustain economic growth are what will keep the American Dream alive.” (578) Hence, it cannot be determined whether King views the American Dream as a solution to the current economic issues present in America, or an ultimate goal that every American is still striving for, leading to a very confusing perspective on which is the cause and which is the effect. What’s more, despite how the essay seems to close on a relatively optimistic note, it seems to imply that there is an ever-present possibility of the American Dream dying, instead of being “more alive… than ever” (573), as King bravely declared in his thesis. As a result, King’s approach becomes inconsistent and cannot be placed in a comprehensible

Gabler might be right in saying that the American dream has become a goal that will rarely be achieved, however, the American dream still exists and as long as America is a free nation will always stand for freedom and

The American Dream is so essential to our country as it is an honor to reach your goals and make it a reality. The American Dream is the national ethos that people’s lives would be better and more abundant with many opportunities. The American Dream was more accessible to attain back in the days, however, changed over the years. Although the “American Dream” is still possible, many people, minorities are affected by the lack of improvement in social mobility in our society. The American Dream is still alive by being able to live a middle-class lifestyle and by obtaining it through perseverance and hard-work.

The American Dream has undergone a metamorphosis from principles to materialism. " - John E. Nestler,

King’s quote “In many ways, the American Dream of today is a trimmed down version of its former self,” explains how the American Dream is not as intense as it was when James Truslow Adams coined it in 1931 during the Great Depression. Living a successful American Dream in the past meant being a part of the Upper Class, being “rich,” living a materialistic lifestyle consisting of, what King states, “expensive items, namely cars and homes, and acquiring more material wealth.” However, the American Dream of todays’ society focuses more so on being stress-free and stable, all financially, occupationally, and residentially, for both current and future life. All topics have the potential to be viewed from multiple perspectives. On page 613, King

I describe the American dream as the ideal that everyone who lives or comes to America, is given the same opportunities for success and the option to create their life as they want it without anything holding them back. When interviewee, Joyce Williams was asked “How has the American Dream changed in your lifetime?” she responded with “I believe the American dream is still here as it was when I was young. I think it might have been harder for some of my friends years ago to accomplish their dream because, they did not have the opportunities to do to college and advance themselves toward their

Impossible Dreams The meaning of the American Dream can be seen as ”A uniquely American vision of the country consisting of three central ideas. The American dream consists of a belief in America as the new Eden- a land of beauty, bounty, and unlimited promise; a feeling of optimism, created by ever expanding opportunity; and a confidence in the triumph of the individual.” Using this definition of the so called “American dream”, it seems to be a great representation of it at first, until you realize it includes everyone as the individual. From the beginning of the Civil war to the end of the War to End All Wars, the American Dream wasn’t possible due to the treatment of the Native Americans, the inequality between women and men, and the false promises given to the immigrants coming to our country in their time of need.

The term American Dream has many different meanings. People have believed it means social equality, no racial discrimination, the economy being financially stable, and more. Over time, as presidents come and go and more technology is being manufactured, that dream has slowly shifted into something else for future generations. The rapid growth of new technology over the years has produced a world wide spread of media, the new means of communication between anybody using magazines, the internet, and television. Even though some means of media may not be completely truthful with television series and advertising, recent generations of children and teens assume that having the American Dream means owning a lamborghini, big mansion, happy family,

The picture perfect life that the American Dream promotes is unrealistic and superficial because money is unable to fill the void of happiness or love. Contrary to earlier days, we now life in a time when even a strong work-ethic does not guarantee money, success or opportunities. While many are so ensorcelled by the illusions of the American Dream, we often fail to realize its falsity and constraints. Whether financially or socially, the society coaxes in the unsuspecting American dreamer, only to then spit them out in a wave of despair, failure and hopelessness. As demonstrated by numerous non-conformist individuals, the Dream lies not in the realm of materialism but rather in that of the intangible; often requiring an extreme leap of faith