The American Dream Over Time
Everyone has a dream, for example, to be financially stable. The American dream has been in existence for the last 90 years. This dream was initially based on acquiring a standard education and living in a standard and just society. Over the years this dream has grown to mean different things to different people. In James Adams’ book the “Epic of America” published in 1931 he defines the American dream as a land that is better and wealthier and has adequate opportunities to gear everyone towards achieving their dreams and realizing their full potentials (Speth, n.p). Over the years the American dream has radically changed to mean the pursuit of happiness, acquiring material possessions, employment for all, proper healthcare and housing for all Americans. The American dream was not based on material possessions but on the existence of a just land where people are equipped to achieve their level best. History has served Americans with alternative meanings of the American dream; this literature review explores the various dimensions and meanings that have been given to the American dream since its conception with close reference to the works of Speth, Gus, “What Is the American Dream?: Dueling Dualities in the American Tradition.” Kamp, David “Rethinking the American Dream.” and Shiller, Robert J “The Transformation of the 'American Dream.”
In the 1930s, the American dream was based on a just society that was not defined by motors cars, fair wages, housing or healthcare but a dream of a social order where men and women would be able to attain to the maximum stature of what they are capable of (Speth, n.p). The dream also foresaw a future where people were recognized for what they are regardless of their background or status. Different means were used to echo this dream to all the edges of the country. In the 1950s and 1960s, the American dream took a materialistic turn where it began advocating for housing. It changed drastically from what the famous Martin Luther King Jr envisioned in his “ I have dream” speech In this speech the American dream he had in mind was based on the conception and creation of a just society that was not defined by aspects of racial and other forms of discrimination. Contrariwise, the manifestation of the American dream in the 1960s was not what he envisioned. During this period the American dream was defined in terms of housing which was a vision for every true American citizen.
According to “What Is the American Dream?: Dueling Dualities in the American Tradition.” Speth, (n.p) argues that the American dream has changed to stand for the pursuit of happiness. Happiness is said to originate from within a person and the influence the government has on its people had been continuously questioned by Speth. Speth addresses the changes in the American dream and whether these changes have brought happiness to Americans. Happiness can be linked to the psychological aspect of human beings in the essence of how satisfied they are with their life. Satisfaction with one’s employment, their marriage and how they trust their government is detrimental to their happiness. The pursuit of wealth contradicts the American dream in terms of happiness, prosperity way and equal consumerism. Kamp (n.p) believes that the American dream is endangered and has been misplaced to stand for the pursuit of fortune and fame. The American dream according to Kamp has been misplaced by the Americans and has been used to mean becoming wealthier. Also, according to Shiller, President Trump and Ben Carson have interpreted the American dream to mean owning a beautiful and prosperous business. These three authors have completely shown how the interpretation of the American dream has changed. The American dream foresaw a just society where everyone is empowered to achieve their full potential, needless to say, the changes in the American dream have changed these three dualities to high commercialism, consumerism, and capitalism proving to be the primary focus of the American dream.
President Donald Trump's administration presents evidence that the American dream has completely changed to represent something else different. According to Shiller, (n.d) housing during president George Bush's reign resulted in the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Speth, (n.d) argues that since human beings learned how to hunt and gather, they have always needed housing; how housing fits in the American dream is a huge puzzle. First, America is invested by a high level of poverty, inequality in wealth distributions and many people falling in debt leaving many contemplating buying a house, renting or building (Kamp, n.d). As a result, incorporating the American dream with expensive housing means many citizens will face huge and lifelong housing debt (Kamp, n.d). According to the American dream, if all parameters were observed then people would achieve their full potential and hence live life with their means. The American dream is put clearly by Adam that it is not a dream of motor cars and high wages but a dream of social order. President Trump's reign is worried about the millennials missing out on the American dream by the exclusion of home-owning yet doesn’t include the primary focus of the dream. Shiller (n.d) argues that the American dream is now geared at material prosperity including bankruptcies, labor rates, entrepreneurship, employment, and building permits. This is not the spirit of the American dream as they focus on commercialization and capitalism making it hard for the achievements of equality.
Contrary to the American dream, even middle-class people are not able to sustain their life. The life of the Americans now is characterized by taking multiple jobs, 80-hour workweeks; fear of being laid down and parents not being able to spend time with their children. Many parents are swimming in housing debt while many youths are still in their parent’s house as a result of high costs of living. Kamp, (n.p) reflects on President Obama's vision that is based on the original vision of the American dream where every American child should be able to afford education not by luck or by being smart in school but by the virtual of social justice which is at the center of the American dream.
In conclusion, from the above analysis, there is no doubt the American dream has changed radically. The virtues which Adams advocated for are not the same virtues advocate for today in the American dream. High consumerism, commercialism, and capitalism are the virtues now. While the American dream foresaw a nation where people would be able to exploit their dreams to the full potential, it is no longer possible due to corruption. Through the parameters of the original American dream, people could live within their means but they are now forced into expensive housing forcing then to bear the burden of lifetime debts. The American dream should be viewed in the lenses of possibility where every individual is empowered to achieve various heights.
Works Cited
Kamp, David. “Rethinking the American Dream.” Vanity Fair, Vanity Fair, 26 Sept. 2017, www.vanityfair.com/culture/2009/04/american-dream200904.
Shiller, Robert J. “The Transformation of the 'American Dream'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Aug. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/08/04/upshot/the-transformation-of-the-american-dream.html.
Speth, Gus. “What Is the American Dream?:Dream? Dueling Dualities in the American Tradition.” Grist, Grist, 25 June 2011, grist.org/politics/2011-06-24-what-is-the-american-dream-dueling-dualities-in-the-american-tra/.
