American Dream or American Nightmare?
Features, Viewpoints, What's Different Now
By Elizabeth Marchi
How does one define the American Dream? It certainly depends on one’s definition of the dream, and there are many to choose from. Traditionally, Americans have believed that achieving the dream of fame, success and wealth was done by frugality and hard work. However, due to industrialization and the development of modern America, this dream has drastically changed. Suddenly, owning a home and getting a proper education no longer defines the American Dream. It appears the dream has been transformed into a race for the cream of the crop. But with such a competitive race there are always winners and losers. It seems in modern American, the upper class keeps winning while the middle and lower class find themselves finishing last.
Although many see America as the “land of opportunity” those of us living in America feel the opposite. The gap between the rich and poor is increasingly growing. According to the Census Bureau, between 11 and 15 percent of Americans have lived below the poverty line in the last 30 years. With such a large number of people struggling why has nothing been done to provide a balance? Despite various efforts, America still seems to be diving deeper and deeper into economic inequality. At one point, an average American worked 8-8.5 hours a day and 40 hours per week, but with our growing economic crisis these hours can no longer provide a decent lifestyle for families. Many families require more than one family member to work in order to maintain necessities in the household. In effect, the need for more jobs has caused many full time jobs to become scarce. In 2000, approximately three million people were working part time jobs because of the lack of full time jobs.
With an increasing gap between the rich and poor, achieving the American Dream is becoming bleak for those behind in the race. We all hear that America is like a Cinderella story, going from rags to riches through hard work and determination, however recently, that doesn’t seem to be good enough. Today, being an American is about being flashy and famous, obtaining extravagant accessories, owning more than one home and traveling the world. Why do we keep raising the bar? Why can’t the American Dream be about happiness rather than wealth? If you are content with living in one home and working an average job, haven’t you achieved your American Dream? America, it’s time to wake up and realize that the American Dream is slipping into an American Nightmare.
Recommended Resources:
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/17/business/17scene.html
National Public Radio
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7180618
mwalsh @ November 5, 2008