Achieving the American Dream: A Look at the Possibilities - Essay Sample

Introduction

The American Dream is a largely known American ethos that defines the set of ideas through which freedom is characterized by the opportunity to attain prosperity or success. Also, the concept of the American Dream can be characterized by the ability to people secure upward mobility for themselves as well as for their children, which is attained through hard work in American society and with minimal barriers. Today, persons who believe in the American Dream believe that they can succeed in whatever they put their minds into through the consistent placement of their efforts towards achieving a desired personal goal or objective.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Evaluation of Whether the American Dream Is Positive or Useful Myth

The American Dream is both a positive and useful myth. Additionally, that is because it creates a positive outlook on achieving success to the public members in American society. Additionally, that is based on the common belief that the nation has opportunities that can enable any person to attain his/her dreams through hard work, sacrifice and risk-taking ability rather than through chance. Subsequently, this makes the concept of the American Dream to also be considered a useful myth. Additionally, this is in that it encourages all people to work hard for success and in the process, it promotes the overall economic development of America as a nation.

Discussion of Whether the American Dream Is Detrimental To People

Despite the belief that the American Dream works in the United States statistics and theoretical premises by renowned academia and psychologists argue that the nation suppresses the efforts of the minority groupings in the society. For instance, since the early 19th century, African Americans have been segregated in achieving key proponents of the American Dream such as education and quality healthcare services (Lopez & Rothstein, 2019). According to Kochhar and Fry (2014), the wealth gap between the White and Black Americans from 1983-2013 was 13%. Also, according to Basosi (2010) Sklar (a theorist) argued that over 89% of the 7.6% unemployed Americans after the Great Depression were the minority populations.

In a different publication by Ehrenreich (2011), 29% of the Americans living in poverty are largely the minority population groupings (Ehrenreich, 2011). Also, according to Douglas Massey (2012) segregation as well as poverty concentration in some parts of the United States stands at 20% for African Americans and 10% for White Americans (Quillian, 2012). Also, a high percentage of African Americans in Guyana face poverty and education access disparities compared to the White Americans (Constantine, 2017). Furthermore, according to Poo and Goehl (2014), 67% of Americans are unsatisfied with wealth and income distribution. Collectively, these statistics portray that although the American dream is perceived to be for all persons, it fairs disproportionately for the minority racial grouping in the United States.

References

Basosi, D. (2010). Principle or power? Jimmy Carter's ambivalent endorsement of the European Monetary System, 1977-1979. Journal of Transatlantic Studies, 8(1), 6-18. doi:10.1080/14794010903533875

Constantine, C. M. (2017). The Rise of Income Inequality in Guyana. Social and economic studies , 66 (3), 65-95. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324546080

Ehrenreich, B. (2011). How America criminalised poverty. Retrieved from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/aug/10/america-poverty-criminalised

Kochhar, R., & Fry, R. (2014). Wealth inequality has widened along racial, ethnic lines since end of Great Recession. Retrieved from Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/12/12/racial-wealth-gaps-great-recession/

Lopez, M. & Rothstein, R. (2019). Design, S. B. (Producer), Lopez, M., Rothstein, R. (Writers), & Lopez, M. (Director). (2019). [Motion Picture]. United States. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/328684375

Poo, A.-j., & Goehl, G. (2014). Inequality in America: A Tale of Two Stories. Retrieved from Huffpost: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/inequality-in-america-a-t_b_5239165

Quillian L. (2012). Segregation and Poverty Concentration: The Role of Three Segregations. American sociological review, 77(3), 354-379. https://doi.org/10.1177/0003122412447793