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Is The American Dream Still Alive?

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Published: Jan 30, 2024

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Introduction, history of the american dream, economic perspective on the american dream, social perspective on the american dream, cultural perspective on the american dream, personal perspective on the american dream, counterarguments to the american dream, references:.

• Kelly, P. (2020). The American Dream. Forbes.
• Gallup. (2020). Americans Still Believe in the American Dream.
• Kochhar, R. (2016). The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold? Pew Research Center.
• Wilhelm, H. & Schulte, B. (2020). Is the American Dream Dead? Global Young Voices.
• Delgado, R. & Stefancic, J. (2001). Understanding Words That Wound.

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The American dream still possible, but more difficult to achieve, students discover

WUSTL students in an interdisciplinary course this semester called “Economic Realities of the American Dream” were urged to consider the meaning of the American Dream and explored pathways to achieving it, including overall economic growth and rising standards of living, equality of opportunity, economic mobility and the availability and creation of jobs that will adequately provide for individuals and families.

In 1931, James Truslow Adams first defined the “American Dream” by writing that “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” regardless of social status or birth circumstance.

In a modern society struggling to loose the grip of a lengthy economic recession, is this dream really attainable?

The dream may still be possible, though much more difficult to achieve, say a renowned macroeconomist and one of America’s foremost experts on poverty, co-teachers of a course on the American Dream this semester at Washington University in St. Louis.

“The American Dream is really at the heart and soul of this country,” says Mark R. Rank, PhD , the Herbert S. Hadley Professor of Social Welfare at the Brown School and author of One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All.

“It’s the idea of what we stand for and what we represent — the idea of being able to pursue what you are really passionate about and to have a good life,” he says.

The interdisciplinary course, “Economic Realities of the American Dream,” came out of a long friendship between Rank and his co-teacher Steven Fazzari.

“I’ve read Mark’s books and being an economist they really got me thinking about perspectives on the realities of economic life in this country and how we formulate those ideas into this concept of an American Dream,” says Fazzari, PhD , professor of economics in Arts & Sciences.

He says the class has focused on three main components — the freedom to pursue what people want to do to reach their potential, the ability to have a secure and comfortable life and a sense of hope and optimism about the future.

“Many people think the American Dream is owning a home,” Fazzari says. “That may be one way to reach economic security and a sense of hope for the future but maybe it’s more of a pathway to the dream than a component of the dream itself.”

Students in the course examined the meaning of the American Dream and explored pathways to achieving it, including overall economic growth and rising standards of living, equality of opportunity, economic mobility and the availability and creation of jobs that will adequately provide for individuals and families.

“I decided to take this course because I wanted to experience the interdisciplinary approach that both professors provide,” says Doug Griesenauer, second-year master’s of social work student. “My view of the American Dream changed dramatically throughout the course. When it began, I understood it as more of an ephemeral idea, a concept that everyone really knew but you couldn’t pin down.

“Through discussions with both professors, we have been able to give substance to that idea and really understand what made the American Dream such an aspiring thing.”

Students participated in group projects and discussions from a variety of perspectives, including economics, sociology, social work and others.

“I’ve worked a lot with Professor Fazarri on Keynesian macroeconomics but living in St. Louis has gotten me really interested in issues of poverty and social justice,” says Madeleine Dapp, a junior mathematics and economics major in Arts & Sciences.

“I saw this course as a good opportunity to combine those two perspectives,” she says. “After I graduate, I’m hoping to work in agricultural policy. I think this class has really allowed me to more closely examine the problems that prevent people from accessing the American Dream, whether it’s problems with nutrition or something more economic.”

The interdisciplinary nature of the course has been its strong suit, Rank says.

“We have students from economics, social work and several other social sciences,” he says. “Having that mix in the classroom is really dynamic and provides a lot of interesting feedback, questions and discussions that help advance all of our thinking.”

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Is the American Dream Still Alive? Rhetorical Essay

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Discussion Members

Discussion topic.

The four members of the discussion would be Tina Pham, her father, Tony Pham, Tina’s grandmother, Linh, and Tina’s favorite cousin Thien. Each of the members of the discussion is associated with being a deep thinker, and they are likely to have good contributions to the discussion topic, particularly because, cumulatively, they have lived through a century. The main reason for choosing them is because they are intellects and they would provide a clearer view of the topic.

The topic of discussion in this setting would be the American dream and the factors associated with the quest. This topic is appropriate for the group because every member is an immigrant, and they had to start from the lowest point when they landed in America. The conversation would start with Linh and Tony Pham narrating their experiences in Vietnam before migrating to the United States.

Linh would discuss the many times that her family was internally displaced in war-torn Vietnam. She would vividly narrate the stories as a student trying to gain as much knowledge as she could in business management. She loved reading so much that she was nicknamed “library.” She would then talk about her years working for her mother’s company and how she lost her father. The discussion would then shift to the political changes that she witnessed in Vietnam and how they forced her family to migrate to the South after the nation was split into two. This would invite a discussion on the actual effects of war in nations pursuing revolutionary changes in their regimes and the negative effects of the course on the citizens.

Tony Pham would join the discussion by recalling his experiences during the Vietnam Civil War as he builds on the factors that led to his quest for the American dream. He would narrate about the many friends he lost to the war and how he was always afraid of dawn because every day was associated with more deaths and injuries of soldiers and citizens. He would then shift the story to the time he finally managed to escape from Vietnam after several failed attempts that landed him in jail. He would discuss his first impression when he landed in the United States in 1998.

The conversation would then shift to the main topic, which is the quest for the American dream. Tony Pham would talk about the expectations he had and the difficulties he met in the United States because of the lack of employment. He would clearly talk about the days he had to work several jobs to earn a living while still studying to get a better job. Tina and her Cousin would then join the discussion and talk about the fact that the same issues are being faced by Americans across the nation. They would talk about the cost of living, the cost of education, and the fact that the American dream is yet to be realized by immigrants in the nation. Tina’s grandmother would be interested to learn that while life was getting better by the day for her son and her grandchildren, the American dream is yet to be actualized for them.

The discussion would culminate with the inference that the American dream is still alive, but immigrants in the United States are yet to be adequately empowered to achieve it. The family would be glad that they survived the ordeals of war and hardships, but they would still be looking to achieve the American dream. Indeed, the American dream is still alive.

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IvyPanda. (2021, May 25). Is the American Dream Still Alive? https://ivypanda.com/essays/american-dream-is-still-alive-honor-essay/

"Is the American Dream Still Alive?" IvyPanda , 25 May 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/american-dream-is-still-alive-honor-essay/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Is the American Dream Still Alive'. 25 May.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Is the American Dream Still Alive?" May 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/american-dream-is-still-alive-honor-essay/.

1. IvyPanda . "Is the American Dream Still Alive?" May 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/american-dream-is-still-alive-honor-essay/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Is the American Dream Still Alive?" May 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/american-dream-is-still-alive-honor-essay/.

The 'American Dream' has always been elusive. Is it still worth fighting for?

Was the American Dream ever real? Or was it a mirage?

With so many young people burdened by student loan debt and questioning whether they'll ever be able to afford a home, it's a question worth asking. It's a question worth mulling over when older Americans are working longer – not because they’re bored, but because grocery bills are busting their budgets, their children need support deep into adulthood, and the pensions that once knit together a financial safety net are for many a long-ago memory .

A series of stories by USA TODAY reporters reveals how ephemeral and tenuous the so-called American Dream has become, and also how a younger generation is setting its own terms for what constitutes a life of financial stability and fulfillment.

Child care more expensive than college in many states

The realities are stark.

Learn more: Best personal loans

A first-time homebuyer would need an income of roughly $64,500 a year to buy a so-called starter home, according to Redfin. That’s 13% more than what was needed just a year ago, and what's necessary to purchase a smaller property that typically sold for $243,000 in June – a record high.

Among millennials, student loans make up 36% of their debt, the highest of any generation. In 28 states, child care is more expensive than the cost for a student to attend a public college in their home state, according to lending platform NetCredit.com.

And it’s expected to cost a middle-income, married couple, $233,610 to raise a child born in 2015 through their 17 th birthday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

It’s no wonder 65% of Gen Zers and nearly 3 in 4 millennials say they feel their financial starting point is far behind where previous generations were at the same age, according to an online poll of more than 2,000 U.S. adults conducted exclusively for USA TODAY by The Harris Poll. And two-thirds of Americans agree that younger people are dealing with difficulties that earlier generations didn’t have to.

“They're telling us they can't buy into that American Dream the way that their parents and grandparents thought about it ‒ because it's not attainable,” said The Harris Poll CEO John Gerzema. 

Segregation, urban renewal, made the American Dream hard to attain

Of course, dreams, by their very definition, are aspirational with no assurance they can become reality. They shimmer in the distance, or in our imaginations.

One person may feel they've missed the mark if they don't become a multimillionaire. For others, a comfortable home, a family and a little extra cash in the bank is more than enough.

Whatever the nuances, the American Dream is fundamental to the American identity, and there is little doubt that some iteration of it loomed large for the 967,500 people who became American citizens last fiscal year, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

My mother was an immigrant. Though she grew up in an affluent family in her native Guyana, she says she and her peers would read American magazines, watch Hollywood epics and imagine that the streets here were paved with gold. When she came to the U.S. to attend college and graduate school, brushes with racism tarnished the fantasy. But she, together with my father, forged a good life, and when she officially became a U.S. citizen in the early 1970s, the photos at the celebration show her smiling, triumphant and proud.

Yet the American Dream has always been hazy, its contours in the eye of the beholder. Depending on who you were, and from where you came, the ladder up was often missing a few rungs, and many had to pull themselves up with no ladder at all.

Maybe your piece of the American Dream was bulldozed for a freeway, like the many Black and brown residents whose homes were demolished in the 1950s and ’60s in the name of urban renewal. Maybe it was denied because you loved someone of the same gender and weren’t allowed to marry. Or perhaps your dream languished because pay inequities based on your being a woman or a person of color made it difficult to build and hold onto generational wealth.

Despite the odds, the dream wasn’t impossible. Among Black Americans, 38% owned a home in 1960, though that was far below the 65% of white Americans who had property. But the hurdles that had to be overcome were arduous. Redlining denied loans to those who were trying to buy homes in minority neighborhoods. Segregation and housing discrimination were rampant. Owning the place where you lived, a cornerstone of the American ideal, was a pillar that was hard won.

The Fair Housing Act passed in 1968 made redlining illegal. But still today, lawsuits have found that appraisers assign lower values to homes owned by Black people compared with their white counterparts. The gap between white home-owning households and those that are Black (73% vs. 44%) is greater now than it was in 1960, according to the Urban Institute.    

It's also very hard to get ahead when you don't earn enough. Women are paid 82 cents for every dollar earned on average by a man, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. Black and Hispanic women (70% and 65% respectively) are paid even less.

And while the ability to obtain an abortion legally in the wake of the Roe vs. Wade decision being overturned raised the likelihood of women finishing college by nearly 20%, the Supreme Court decision in June 2022 that took away that federal protection now puts the economic stability and advancement of millions of women in jeopardy.    

Forging a new American Dream

I know from my own conversations with Generation Zers that many resent having to clean up a mess largely caused by their elders. Still, the future belongs to the young.

Maybe a generation that has had to face the grimmest of realities, from a once-in-a-century pandemic to a relentless plague of gun violence to a democracy in stunning decline, no longer has the optimism to dream at all. They are fighting for survival, to reshape a world they did not make, and so they don’t have time to wish and wonder.

Or perhaps they are curating a different sort of dream.

Members of Gen Z save more and also spend more on what they truly care about. That’s a worthy change. Debt, while often necessary, can be suffocating, so if you must take it on, why not make sure it’s for what gives your life purpose and joy?

Buy a house to have an abode to call your own, or a haven that frees you from the whims of a landlord, not just so you can keep up with the proverbial Joneses. Choose college if it’s a building block for your desired career. But if an apprenticeship will get you where you want to go, that should be fine too.

And while raising a family can give you contentment that’s hard to convey, if you don’t want a spouse and 2.5 kids, it’s too significant a responsibility to take on just because society says you should.      

In a piece written by USA TODAY reporters Bailey Schulz and Kathleen Wong, Matt Marino, a 27-year-old teacher in New York City said that while his peers see owning their own house as “impossible,’’ they would also prefer to have “more freedom,’’ such as being able to do work that they love. 

How liberating it must be to care less about status than about having a life where you have the bandwidth to truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.

How gratifying that the ability to breathe fresh air and preserve the Earth means more to many young adults than a bottomless pile of material possessions. 

Whatever version of the American Dream you aspire to, if that vision is to be preserved, all of us, across generations, must commit to making it a real possibility for all.

Is the American Dream still possible? How younger workers are redefining success

How much does it cost to raise a child? College may no longer be the biggest expense.

That’s not easy when too many continue to view financial insecurity as a mark of personal failure. It’s a tall task when some believe certain Americans, based on their gender, race, sexual identity, or immigration status, are less worthy of opportunity, comfort and freedom, than others.

But one can dream.  

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The American Dream: not accessible for all

Systemic racism and economic disparities prevent equal access to The American Dream. David McBee/Pexels

JACK DENDINGER , staff writer January 4, 2021

“The American Dream” is a phrase that almost everyone knows.  A phrase often associated with hope, success, and freedom.  A phrase highlighting an individual’s ability to better themselves and make progress.  America is often touted as the land of opportunity, but in reality, discrimination and economic disparities result in The American Dream being simply over glorified.  While white people usually have no problem being able to live out their respective American Dreams, people of color are often met with a slew of challenges that ultimately inhibit their ability to achieve success.  Although the concept of  The American Dream appears to reflect society’s values that all people should be given equal opportunities for success, in reality it is too good to be true.

Not all people are given the same opportunities to achieve success.  The easiest way to illustrate this point is by taking a look at suburbs, and their unfortunate past.  According to Adam Conover from the YouTube channel, CollegeHumor , suburbs are predominantly white in almost every corner of the country.  This is due to “the government color coding maps; a term known as ‘redlining,” which is especially true in very affluent areas.  Westport, Connecticut is one of the wealthiest towns in the entire country.  According to  CT Mirror writer Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, a little more than “4% of Westport residents are considered to be living in poverty ” and only 6% of all residents are people of color.  People of color are at a severe disadvantage as compared to their white counterparts.  This often results in minorities living in other towns, separated from affluent ones such as Westport.

It is commonly believed that the consequences “of living in segregated neighborhoods often last a lifetime.”  This is especially true when you look at statistics involving education and imprisonment.  According to the Opportunity Atlas , children growing up in Bridgeport are “ five times more likely to be imprisoned…than those who grow up in Fairfield,” only two miles away.  On top of that, schools in towns such as Bridgeport get minimal funding, and are far worse than schools in neighboring towns.  In fact, it costs 3.5 times more to live in an area that is nearby to high scoring school systems.

While society is often under the false impression that America is the land of opportunity, it is clear that this is far from true.  A disproportionate number of people of color are at a severe disadvantage from the second they are born, to the second that they die.  As such, this cycle is passed down for generations.  Interestingly enough, these injustices can be traced back for decades.  William Levitt, an American real estate developer, created racist policies such as limiting homes to be occupied by only “members of the Caucasian race .”  The infamous Levittown, New Jersey, erected in the 1950’s is an excellent example of this. 

Even though redlining is blatantly racist and was built on the foundation of segregation and racist idealogies, it still exists to this day in an indirect manner, as minorities are unable to afford housing in the “green areas.”  In fact, “black children are more segregated in schools now than at any time since the 1970s .”  While traditional redlining does not exist today, Black home buyers are charged much higher rates than white home buyers, even with an identical credit score. 

Although it may seem like racism and discrimination are in America’s past, they are both still prominent in today’s society.  The only way to make The American Dream truly accessible to all people is to realize the inequality of opportunity in America, and to end the disparity in resources.  Yes, The American Dream is the result of many success stories, but all in all, it is over glorified and very hard to achieve for anyone except the white person..

My name is Jack Dendinger and I am a Junior at Canton High School.  Last year in Honors English, I realized I enjoyed writing editorials and persuasive...

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Ally • Mar 1, 2021 at 7:22 pm

Cool article!

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Most think the ‘American dream’ is within reach for them

Despite persistently low levels of public satisfaction with the state of the nation, most Americans say they have achieved the “American dream” or are on their way to achieving it. Only about one-in-five (17%) say the American dream is “out of reach” for their family.

The American dream means different things to different people, however. Far fewer Americans say “becoming wealthy” is essential to the American dream than say the same about personal freedom and a good family life.

Overall, 36% of U.S. adults say their family has achieved the American dream, while another 46% say they are “on their way” to achieving it, according to an August survey by Pew Research Center . (The survey asked people about the “American dream,” as they define it.) People who say they have already achieved the American dream are generally older, more affluent and better-educated than those who say they are on their way to achieving the American dream and those who say it’s out of reach.

Whites (41%) are more likely than blacks (17%) or Hispanics (32%) to say they have achieved the American dream. But more blacks (62%) and Hispanics (51%) than whites (42%) say they are on their way to achieving it. Notably, there are no significant racial or ethnic differences in the shares who say the American dream is out of reach for their families.

The partisan differences in impressions of whether people have reached the American dream are relatively modest: 41% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they have achieved it, compared with 32% of Democrats and Democratic leaners.

Freedom of choice, family widely viewed as essential elements of American dream

While people differ on the meaning of the American dream, very few – just 11% of the public – say “being wealthy” is essential to their own view of it.

By contrast, majorities say “freedom of choice in how to live” (77%), having a good family life (70%) and retiring comfortably (60%) are essential to their view of the American dream.

Smaller shares say making valuable community contributions (48%), owning a home (43%) and having a successful career (also 43%) are essential to their view of the American dream, but relatively few (no more than 9%) say these are not important to the American dream.

However, 40% say being wealthy is not important in their vision of the American dream, by far the highest share among the seven items asked about.

There are modest educational differences in attitudes about what is essential to the American dream. For example, 87% of those with at least a four-year college degree say freedom of choice in how to live is essential, as do 82% of those with some college experience. By comparison, a smaller majority (65%) of those with no more than a high school diploma say this.

And while 15% of those with a high school education or less say becoming wealthy is essential to the American dream, fewer of those with college experience say the same (8% of college graduates and 9% of those with some college experience).

Partisanship is not a major factor in these views. Across all items, there are modest or no partisan differences in views of what is essential to the American dream.

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5 facts about americans and sports, by a wide margin, americans say football – not baseball – is ‘america’s sport’, among black adults, those with higher incomes are most likely to say they are happy, about 1 in 10 restaurants in the u.s. serve mexican food, most popular.

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Chasing Dreams: Assessing Attainability in the American Dream

This essay about the American Dream examines its enduring allure and the harsh realities that hinder its attainment for many. It explores the disparities faced by marginalized communities, the economic challenges impacting dreamers, and the hope found in grassroots movements and technological innovation. Ultimately, it calls for collective action to dismantle barriers and create a more inclusive and equitable society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

How it works

In the heart of every American beats the rhythm of the pursuit of dreams. From the hopeful immigrant seeking refuge and opportunity to the native-born entrepreneur with stars in their eyes, the concept of the American Dream has woven itself into the fabric of the nation’s identity. It’s a promise of upward mobility, prosperity, and the freedom to carve one’s own path. Yet, as the landscape of American society shifts and evolves, so too does the attainability of this elusive dream.

At its core, the American Dream embodies the belief that with hard work, determination, and a sprinkle of luck, anyone can rise from humble beginnings to achieve success and prosperity. It’s the notion that in America, the land of boundless opportunity, your destiny is yours to shape. For generations, this ideal has fueled the aspirations of millions, driving them to push the boundaries of what is possible and reach for the stars.

However, beneath the surface of this rosy narrative lies a stark reality check. In recent decades, economic inequality has widened, and social mobility has stagnated. The promise of the American Dream seems to be slipping further out of reach for many, as barriers erected by systemic injustices and structural inequalities loom large.

For marginalized communities, the pursuit of the American Dream can feel like chasing a mirage in the desert. Systemic racism, gender discrimination, and economic disparity create formidable obstacles that obstruct the path to success. The legacy of historical injustices continues to cast a long shadow, perpetuating cycles of poverty and disenfranchisement.

Take, for example, the story of Jamal, a bright-eyed teenager from a low-income neighborhood in Chicago. Despite his talent and ambition, Jamal faces a myriad of challenges on his quest to achieve his dreams. Limited access to quality education, lack of economic resources, and exposure to violence and crime threaten to derail his aspirations before they even take flight. For Jamal and countless others like him, the American Dream remains a distant beacon, obscured by the harsh realities of their daily lives.

Even for those who manage to overcome initial barriers and make strides towards their goals, the journey is far from smooth sailing. The rising cost of education, housing, and healthcare creates financial burdens that weigh heavily on the shoulders of aspiring dreamers. Student loan debt reaches staggering heights, forcing graduates to postpone homeownership, delay starting families, and compromise on their career choices.

Moreover, the volatile nature of the modern economy adds another layer of uncertainty to the pursuit of dreams. Automation, globalization, and technological advancements disrupt traditional industries, leaving workers scrambling to adapt to a rapidly changing landscape. Job insecurity, wage stagnation, and the gig economy’s precariousness cast a shadow of doubt over the feasibility of achieving long-term stability and prosperity.

Yet, amidst the gloom and uncertainty, glimmers of hope emerge. Grassroots movements advocating for social justice and equity gain momentum, challenging the status quo and demanding systemic change. Initiatives aimed at expanding access to education, affordable housing, and healthcare offer a lifeline to those struggling to break free from the cycle of poverty and inequality.

Innovators and entrepreneurs harness the power of technology and innovation to create new opportunities and level the playing field. From crowdfunding platforms that democratize access to capital to online learning platforms that offer free education to all, these trailblazers are redefining what it means to chase dreams in the 21st century.

Furthermore, the power of community and solidarity proves to be a potent force in the fight for a more inclusive and equitable society. As individuals come together to uplift and support one another, they amplify their voices and magnify their impact, paving the way for a brighter and more hopeful future.

Ultimately, the attainability of the American Dream hinges not only on individual effort but also on collective action. It requires dismantling the barriers that obstruct the path to success and creating a more just and equitable society where every person has the opportunity to thrive. It demands a reimagining of the American Dream, one that is inclusive, accessible, and sustainable for all who dare to chase it. As we navigate the complexities of the modern world, let us remember that the pursuit of dreams is not a solitary endeavor but a shared journey towards a brighter tomorrow.

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Chasing Dreams: Assessing Attainability in the American Dream. (2024, Jun 01). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/chasing-dreams-assessing-attainability-in-the-american-dream/

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PapersOwl.com. (2024). Chasing Dreams: Assessing Attainability in the American Dream . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/chasing-dreams-assessing-attainability-in-the-american-dream/ [Accessed: 6 Jun. 2024]

"Chasing Dreams: Assessing Attainability in the American Dream." PapersOwl.com, Jun 01, 2024. Accessed June 6, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/chasing-dreams-assessing-attainability-in-the-american-dream/

"Chasing Dreams: Assessing Attainability in the American Dream," PapersOwl.com , 01-Jun-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/chasing-dreams-assessing-attainability-in-the-american-dream/. [Accessed: 6-Jun-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Chasing Dreams: Assessing Attainability in the American Dream . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/chasing-dreams-assessing-attainability-in-the-american-dream/ [Accessed: 6-Jun-2024]

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