"Breathing dreams like air..."
1. How would you describe the “American Dream?”
2. What is your definition of wealth?
3. What are Americans’ attitudes toward wealth and poverty?
4. What is your attitude toward wealth and poverty?
The "American Dream" is promise of an better life in the United States, with a Cinderella story of going from rags to riches with just the flick of a magic wand (or in this case a plane ticket to the USA). Whether that message is for immigrants or for citizens of the country, the phrase is no more than a simple generality. A promise of a new life has historically been used as an argument in encouraging people, internationally, to move to America. Domestically, this promise has been used as a method of persuasion for risky economic investments into the country of a seemingly capitalist utopia. These life altering choices made by individuals are true shows of the blind faith in a opaque concept, with only stories as evidence of success.
In present day, America still holds this promise of a new life to all new possible inhabitants, yet the actuality of this promise is unlikely to follow through in its most idealistic version. For the longest time, I did believe in the American Dream. However, in recent years this international promise has been met with push back within the country. This can be seen through the beliefs that immigrants are "taking our jobs" or those seeking political refuge are "terrorists", leading policies to be put in place to block many from seeking the fulfillment of this dream. The American Dream has now either fizzled out, or been closed off to only US citizens of privilege.
I personally do not believe the concept is more than a facade for the mere reason of its improbable nature. The chance of jumping through social classes from a few risky financial moves is possible, but highly improbable. Just like with a lottery ticket, a life altering award is possible but is most likely to be met with the loss in a few dollars and a slightly disappointed attitude.
My personal definition of wealth is, in the simplest terms, the possession of material things, unless the word is given a idealistic twist. The definition of wealth shifts within various contexts. When talking about low income families or poor circumstances, the word wealth comes to mean living without worry of where the next meal is coming from. When discussing well off investors, the term is used to express the success of one individual over another.
For example, one day I was watching my all time favorite show Shark Tank. I was curious to see which of the Sharks were the most financially successful in terms of their net worth. I, in that instance, used wealth to describe only the Shark with millions of dollars over the other Sharks. Now, in any context including myself ALL of the Sharks would be described as extremely wealthy. The word is entirely dependant on the factors that are being compared or discussed.
The definition of wealth given by most Americans follows this same dependency on context. The context of the American definition of wealth is individuals living in America. In the US, the range of wealth goes from being homeless with no source of income to Bill Gates, with a net worth of 89.2 billion dollars. It is still possible for a shift in the definition of wealth to go up and down because cases exist outside of this context. Other countries exist that lack any government support system for the unemployed and homeless, making the wealth of those individuals, potentially, even lower.
What I have noticed within the US is that most everyone wants to gain more wealth, past what is already in their possession. Even when individuals reach a point of financial stability and no longer aim to increase their wealth, more money in their possession is always seen as a positive.
However, Americans see poverty as the least desirable of circumstances. Those possessing more wealth see those in poverty, or a state of financial crisis, as unfortunate. Attitude and demeanor towards those others within the US is very much dependant on socioeconomic status. There is little interaction made past those lines of income, treating others as almost foreign for themselves.
One common interaction I have with my peers continuously is shocking to me because of the blatant alienation of those from lower economic classes. When I have been in the car with my friends driving, my friends have locked the car door when seeing a homeless person numerous times. I know many people who look down and avoid eye contact with these people, or even hide food they have in their hands out of sight. For a long time, I took the same path as my friends do.
It wasn't until I went on a Mission Trip to Washington DC that I changed my interactions with people standing on the side of the street. My group and I talked with a formerly homeless man who was working to help provide livable conditions and job opportunities for those living in poverty. He told us even if I can't or are weary of giving money to a homeless person, don't act like they aren't there. They are people just like you and me, but are just living in different conditions than you.
Now whenever I see people on the side of the road I smile, just as I would smile if I saw someone walking down the hallway in school. My attitude toward wealth and poverty has evolved over the years to become more inclusive, rather than seeing money as the construct dividing people from other people.
2. What is your definition of wealth?
3. What are Americans’ attitudes toward wealth and poverty?
4. What is your attitude toward wealth and poverty?
The "American Dream" is promise of an better life in the United States, with a Cinderella story of going from rags to riches with just the flick of a magic wand (or in this case a plane ticket to the USA). Whether that message is for immigrants or for citizens of the country, the phrase is no more than a simple generality. A promise of a new life has historically been used as an argument in encouraging people, internationally, to move to America. Domestically, this promise has been used as a method of persuasion for risky economic investments into the country of a seemingly capitalist utopia. These life altering choices made by individuals are true shows of the blind faith in a opaque concept, with only stories as evidence of success.
In present day, America still holds this promise of a new life to all new possible inhabitants, yet the actuality of this promise is unlikely to follow through in its most idealistic version. For the longest time, I did believe in the American Dream. However, in recent years this international promise has been met with push back within the country. This can be seen through the beliefs that immigrants are "taking our jobs" or those seeking political refuge are "terrorists", leading policies to be put in place to block many from seeking the fulfillment of this dream. The American Dream has now either fizzled out, or been closed off to only US citizens of privilege.
I personally do not believe the concept is more than a facade for the mere reason of its improbable nature. The chance of jumping through social classes from a few risky financial moves is possible, but highly improbable. Just like with a lottery ticket, a life altering award is possible but is most likely to be met with the loss in a few dollars and a slightly disappointed attitude.
My personal definition of wealth is, in the simplest terms, the possession of material things, unless the word is given a idealistic twist. The definition of wealth shifts within various contexts. When talking about low income families or poor circumstances, the word wealth comes to mean living without worry of where the next meal is coming from. When discussing well off investors, the term is used to express the success of one individual over another.
For example, one day I was watching my all time favorite show Shark Tank. I was curious to see which of the Sharks were the most financially successful in terms of their net worth. I, in that instance, used wealth to describe only the Shark with millions of dollars over the other Sharks. Now, in any context including myself ALL of the Sharks would be described as extremely wealthy. The word is entirely dependant on the factors that are being compared or discussed.
The definition of wealth given by most Americans follows this same dependency on context. The context of the American definition of wealth is individuals living in America. In the US, the range of wealth goes from being homeless with no source of income to Bill Gates, with a net worth of 89.2 billion dollars. It is still possible for a shift in the definition of wealth to go up and down because cases exist outside of this context. Other countries exist that lack any government support system for the unemployed and homeless, making the wealth of those individuals, potentially, even lower.
What I have noticed within the US is that most everyone wants to gain more wealth, past what is already in their possession. Even when individuals reach a point of financial stability and no longer aim to increase their wealth, more money in their possession is always seen as a positive.
However, Americans see poverty as the least desirable of circumstances. Those possessing more wealth see those in poverty, or a state of financial crisis, as unfortunate. Attitude and demeanor towards those others within the US is very much dependant on socioeconomic status. There is little interaction made past those lines of income, treating others as almost foreign for themselves.
One common interaction I have with my peers continuously is shocking to me because of the blatant alienation of those from lower economic classes. When I have been in the car with my friends driving, my friends have locked the car door when seeing a homeless person numerous times. I know many people who look down and avoid eye contact with these people, or even hide food they have in their hands out of sight. For a long time, I took the same path as my friends do.
It wasn't until I went on a Mission Trip to Washington DC that I changed my interactions with people standing on the side of the street. My group and I talked with a formerly homeless man who was working to help provide livable conditions and job opportunities for those living in poverty. He told us even if I can't or are weary of giving money to a homeless person, don't act like they aren't there. They are people just like you and me, but are just living in different conditions than you.
Now whenever I see people on the side of the road I smile, just as I would smile if I saw someone walking down the hallway in school. My attitude toward wealth and poverty has evolved over the years to become more inclusive, rather than seeing money as the construct dividing people from other people.
Very insightful post. Mad snaps for all of this content. I 100% agree that the American Dream has "fizzled out," as you said, to a select demographic: the privileged. It has been completely redefined--it is nearly unattainable for people who do not have the privilege to afford a secondary education. While I was writing my post, all I could think about was all of the empirical evidence and statistics I've heard over the years about income inequality and how hard work and success aren't directly proportional. But I love how you mentioned that the American Dream is almost always anecdotal. We saw this with the advertisements we observed and discussed in class, and I also wrote about the American Dream story my grandmother loves to tell.
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