American Dream Essay

American Dream: An Illusion or a Vision?

When individuals think of the American Dream they ultimately think of a dream that promises everyone a chance to opportunities that can help them to live a life better life than they once had. Over the years, Americans have begun to alter the meaning of this dream thus only making it attainable for certain people excluding those of middle and working class families. This dream promises all Americans a chance to prosper in life, however, what we fail to realize is that America has begun to deprive the middle and working class from opportunities that can help them to achieve the American Dream. This is important because it shows how the American Dream is slowly becoming an illusion for these people.

In 1931 the term The American Dream was first coined, and James Truslow Adams defined it as “a dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement”. In The Epic of America Adams explicitly states that this dream offers a chance for every man and women to “be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.” However, this isn't the reality today. Middle and working class families are being taken away opportunities merely because of their “position” in society.

Many may argue that the American Dream is attainable for anyone including those of middle and working class. They say that our country offers these families many opportunities because of their rank in society, They say that healthcare like Obamacare has covered the cost of health insurance and has made it more affordable, however, this is false. A CNN article states that programs like Obamacare have been unaffordable for the middle class. This article states that a family of four have an income of about $97,200 which doesn’t at all compare to the price of Obamacare. Middle class families have to pay a lot in health insurance and this makes the American Dream quite unattainable for them. To be able to achieve the American Dream one has to be financially secure and intent with their life but how can this happen if health care prices are only rising in this country.

If we take a good look at things happening around us we can see that while wealthy people are thriving, the middle and working class families are continuing to struggle, because wages don’t compare with the cost of living. In Barack Obama’s American Dream speech he states that these middle class families “are seeing the American Dream slip further and further away”, and who could blame them? Obama says that these people are working harder but earning less money, while healthcare and college prices are rising. He goes on to say “one income isn't enough to raise a family and send your kids to college. Sometimes, two incomes aren't enough”. These people are depending on paycheck to paycheck to supply their families with important necessities in life and the economy does very little to help. Our economy is only built for these wealthy people and this is quite ironic because middle class families make up a great percent of the U.S population. The Washington Post published an article about a families struggling to make ends meet. They say that it's hard for the working class to survive because “Once some bills are paid and we’ve gone grocery shopping, we don’t have enough to pay the other bills.’’ Unfortunately this is the reality for many of these families, and like Obama touched upon in his American Dream Speech, wages are not increasing. This article also points out something quite interesting, it says that “America is a place where luxuries are cheap and necessities are costly¨, and when you think about it, this is very true. People in the U.S struggle for health care, a necessity, which is very expensive, rather than a flat screen t.v which doesn't compare to the price of healthcare.

Not only are middle and working class struggling with income inequality but there is also a struggle in the education system. Unfortunately, the education system in American doesn;t work in favor for these families. For many Americans and education is essential to achieving the American Dream, but it’s much easier for a wealthy person to get a better education than those of middle class because of the advantages they are getting. An online article college graduates would carry about $5,000-$10,000 in loans, however, now these graduates are taking out about $50,000 — maybe over $100,000. The simple idea of even buying a house seems impossible as students are accumulating that many loans. Middle class incomes range here in the U.S from $25,000 to $75,000 way less than a college loan. Many lean on the fact that college students receive financial aid, however, in many cases financial aid doesn’t cover the full cost of a college tuition. The reality is, is that just by coming from a wealthy family one already has their foot out the door. A CNN article says that “the average graduate from a higher-income background earned about 10% more than the average graduate from a less prosperous background” thus making them more likely to succeed even after college. America needs to give these middle and working class families more opportunities rather than only focusing on the wealthy. Everyone deserves a chance to chase the American Dream not just a person cut out a certain way.

It’s safe to say that the ideal American Dream is no longer a vision for middle and working class families, it has sadly become only an illusion. By taking away the opportunity for these families to pursue this dream, not only makes one question whether this country represents freedom and equality but also allows people to view the American Dream as something in the past that no longer resonates with life today.