The term “American dream” is understood and used in a variety of contexts. Essentially, they all converge on the idea that anyone in the US can achieve their goals through hard work and has the potential to lead a happy, successful, and free life. Over time, the goals to live the American Dream has changed, but the idea remains the same. We have attached wealth, freedom, and equality as symbols of the American dream. Of late, America has been subject to a myriad of criticism. Its image of being a free society and its civil rights record has taken a hit. People from other countries believe that America has become dangerous and unpredictable towards its citizens. Critics often point to examples of inequality rooted in class, race, religion, ethnicity and suggest that it is not a level playing field for everyone. Because of this, there are calls made that the American Dream is dead. I agree that the American dream has evolved and we can no longer characterize it as intended in the original tenet of the American dream. However, our society can still share the values, with one or more aspects of wealth, freedom and equality gaining upper hand at different times.
In the early twentieth century, the American Dream was about competition and individualistic ideals. Americans shared a dream in which citizens worked together to make life better for their loved ones. This was shown in FDR’s New Deal programs which promised safe, healthy futures for every American citizen. This program provided opportunities for everything people around the world were looking for: wealth and freedom. After World War II, men returned from the war with a different perception of the American Dream. Americans fantasized about buying large homes, growing families and living a better life. The American Dream became closely tied to home ownership, and the marketplace was flooded with products to help improve quality of life. The American Dream transformed into an...