Whether fleeing religious persecution, economic oppression, or ravages of war immigrants from all over the world poured into the United States. This endeavor was initiated by the idea of the American Dream, which many hoped would be the solution to their discontent. Due to requirements of human satisfaction, the tainted American Dream has shifted from the pursuit of personal happiness to the pursuit of abundant wealth, justifying that all Americans have their moments of dissatisfaction.
Even before “the American Dream” was first coined in 1913 by James Adams, this powerful phrase had already lured many nations to our American shores. The pursuit began in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence stated, “all men . . . are endowed by their Creator with . . . Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (Source B).” The Declaration of Independence, along with the American Dream, supported that everyone had the opportunity to achieve greater prosperity without the restrictions of class, religion, race, or ethnic group. The Founding Fathers apparently agreed that happiness and satisfaction is a right that everyone is entitled to. Source C suggests that as time went by “a being of higher faculties [began to require] more to make him happy.” Even though America was a land in which one’s prospects in life were endless, many allowed themselves to be defined by materialistic objects. Citizens nationwide began to feel the incessant need to obtain worldly goods. Without even realizing it, Americans were tuning away from freedom and throwing themselves into bondage where materialism was the master.
After being fully enslaved by materialism the American Dream was rearranged so that it revolved around excessive fortune. Statistics from Source E proved, “the average working woman plays with her children forty minutes a week – and shops six hours.” Unfortunately, this is a common scenario in our society today which is hard-core proof that people now place possessions on a higher pedestal than family values. People, such as the stereotypical working woman, are trying to buy happiness from store shelves. The time of compulsive consumerism we are living in is based on the foundation “that ‘just a little bit more’ will finally buy happiness (Source E).” People today are surrounded by tons of things, yet they still feel incomplete. This dissatisfaction could be represented by the principle of searching for something more in all the wrong places. As result of this reformation, the American Dream has been distorted by the same people it gave freedom and hope to in the 1700’s.
Opposing views question the validity of the original American Dream and all of the hopes associated with it. Source G argues, “Without wealth there can be no Maecenas.” If this is true then how did Picasso and Van Gogh flourish to become internationally known artists? These two men along with more modern day stars, such as Oprah and Tom Cruise, have inspired several generations with their rags to riches storylines. Source G also says, “The conditions of human life have not only been changed, but revolutionized, within the past few hundred years.” While we have experienced positive developments in technology and education, we have also suffered negative transformations in our economy and political system. For the past year American debt has been increasing at a terrifying rate, currently reaching $57 trillion, and has been heightened even more by our political leader Barrack Obama who spent more money campaigning than his opponent John McCain did. Source G furthermore claims, “This change, however, is not to be deplored, but welcomed as highly beneficial.” How can this modification be beneficial when our current generation is becoming increasingly inconsequential? As asserted by Source E, “Ninety-three percent of teenage girls list shopping as their favorite pastime.” Even though many Americans continue their indiscretion towards the American society and the American Dream, hope remains for the few but apt realists.
Even though expectations for the future have been buried by mounds of infectious ideas, the American Dream continues on, stronger than ever, to remain as a constant throughout the lives of unsatisfied citizens.
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