Monday, April 2, 2012
Reinvented, indeed
Since the American Dream means a myriad of things to everyone whether it be owning your own home, paying all your bills, having children, or becoming a billionaire, I think the American Dream is a perpetual reinvention. As life progresses, we yearn for different things, we dream different things. The dream is shifting to, as James Truslow Adams said, "not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." I love this American Dream. I think 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” is a beautiful fantasy (Adams). "One that emphasizes community, ecological sustainability, and a celebration of non-material values, while upholding the spirit of the traditional American dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" (Hartmann).
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But do you think that Dream exists right now, even as the recession's impact starts to dwindle? I think those definitions are encompassing and definitely appealing, but do they really apply to our society, and in particular Los Angeles? The particular clause I would be interested in investigating is "a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable." Many people would argue that certain individuals (and minority groups) are not encouraged to achieve what they are truly capable of by society, and certain data/trends support that belief. So although the Dream is constantly being reinvented (which I agree with), it is now being reinvented in a drastically different manner than it has been before--i.e. towards moderation and modest living.
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