The Idea of the "American Dream"
The idea of the "American dream" is not brand-new. It has existed for a while and changed throughout history. The American ideal includes both a personal element and a global vision, as it has always been understood. The phrase "American dream" has been interpreted in a variety of ways by different people who have varying conceptions of it. A collective viewpoint, however, would characterize it as a chance for Americans to thrive through persistently working hard. The American citizen's ability to provide for their children's basic necessities is part of the dream, which purports to be about "upward mobility and home ownership." Such as proper housing and education and not limited to securing career to them without facing barriers (Putnam 3). The dream would also give the Americans their liberty and freedom. This means that the attainment of the dream would mean that people could make their individual choices without necessarily being interfered with regardless of their social classes, color, ethnicity, religion, and much more.
Upward Mobility and Middle-Class Prosperity
For several people, both in the middle class and in the working class, upward mobility has been seen as the soul and the heart of the American dream. The country is merely after improving and bettering the lives of individuals and the young generation. The speculated major objective of the American dream was that individual works hard during his or her productive life stage so that they save, educate their children and have something left to settle on upon their retirement (Garfinkle 9). In other words, the American dream strives to encourage people to invest in the country’s economy for a better nation in the future.
The Feasibility of the American Dream
The American dream is feasible and can be achieved if all the important factors are considered, and the nation’s priorities set right. Arguably, America is the known superpower in the world, both regarding economic milestones and concerning the political space. At the same time, it is worth noting, “America is one of the nations, which is at the peak of economic recession since the era of the Great Depression” (Luttwak 7). During this period, the rate of unemployment among the youths went high, people lost their homes to foreclosure, and the household wealth plummeted significantly. Fortunately, the modern America had started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with the rate of unemployment going down, decreased housing rates and increased household wealth.
The American Dream in Practice
In as much as there have been constant challenges in the economic progress, the good news is that the economic advancement has been real and steady over time. As President Trump promised during his campaign trails to make America great again and to attain the American dream, it is justifiable to assert that the statements of President Trump have started bearing fruits. The current economic milestone is far much better than the way former President Barrack Obama left it, suggesting that America is yet to realize its long-term dream of financial freedom and economic strength.
Criticism and Challenges
Of course, many commentators have described the American dream as “ideal” instead of “real.” Others have also termed it as a myth (Garfinkle 6). It is undebatable that America can have the strongest economy in the world if the resources are managed well. Even so, the fact that it has a strong economy should not make Americans fail to be cognizant of the extreme poverty in different parts of the country. The mission of Trump’s administration is to realize the American dream, which cannot be achieved with the exclusion of the poor population in the United States. Racism and ethnicity have been a major setback towards realizing the nation’s dream, and that is an integral issue that cannot be overlooked. At the same time, it cannot be disputed that vast of the citizens in America are not feeling the benefits of their growing economy (Greenhalgh 17). Even though the government if focusing on impacting on every American citizen, it is imperative to be aware of the fact that the middle-income citizens are still striving to make ends meet. Moreover, it is even getting harder for the poor Americans to hold onto what they have to survive.
Collaborative Approach to Achieve the American Dream
Historically, the economic greatness of the United States rests on a simple principle. The principle has been that when the people at middle class prosper, and when the hardworking folks get chances to go high, then America thrives (Garfinkle 12). However, it is upon the American citizens to adopt series of policies to expand the current population of the middle class to realize the American dream of succeeding in the economy of tomorrow. Therefore, it is justifiable to claim that American Dream is not only valid but also real and attainable if and only if it follows a collaborative approach. Under the administration of Donald Trump, it is highly likely that Americans are soon going to realize the long-awaited and historically changed dream.
Works Cited
Garfinkle, Norton. The American Dream Vs. the Gospel of Wealth: The Fight for a Productive Middle-Class Economy. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006. Internet resource.
Greenhalgh, Leonard, and James Lowry. Minority Business Success: Refocusing on the American Dream. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 2011. Internet resource.
Luttwak, Edward. The Endangered American Dream: How to Stop the United States from Becoming a Third World Country and How to Win the Geo-Economic Struggle for Industrial Supremacy. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. Print.
Putnam, Robert D. Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. New York, N.Y: Simon & Schuster, 2016. Print.
Santiago, Esmeralda. America's Dream: A Novel. Place of publication not identified: HarperCollins e-Books, 2014. Internet resource.
