The American Dream - 868 Words

Freedom, liberty, and opportunity are just a few of the incredible advantages available to those who live in the United States. However, the ideologies surrounding the traditional â€Å"American Dream† have evolved with the changing generations of citizens of who have lived in this country. In years past, this multifaceted desire included having a family, a nice car, and a house with a white-picket fence. However, the current generation of millennials has seemingly dismissed this long-accepted dream and created one of their own. This change directly correlates with a number of events, including the Great Recession of 2008. An essential component, which included owning a home, has evidently dissolved from the current desires of younger†¦show more content†¦As the years have progressed, this American dream has also transformed. The extensive generation of millenials has grown into adults and formulated their own version of the American Dream. Although they are not compl ete duplicates of that which existed in generations past, the desires of the millennial generation still exist, but they have taken different forms. One of the preeminent reasons that many millennials have abandoned the dream of owning a home came with the housing crash of 2008. Many families experienced the losses of assets, incomes, and, in particular, homes. As subprime lending plagued the country, big banks were rescued by the government and, in turn, by taxpayers. Unimaginable interest rates that suddenly spiked after a short amount of time left families with no way to pay their mortgages. Banks quickly took on ownership of the homes, and entire communities quickly experienced mass foreclosures. This unfortunate time in American history left families in dire financial situations and substantially impacted the mindsets of the children and young people of families that were affected by the Great Recession. The housing crash of 2008 led to detrimental effects for citizens around the nation and the globe, including millennials. After witnessing parents lose their jobs and homes, the idea of the American Dream certainly changed. What became more important than homes was security. Millennials now seek collegeShow MoreRelatedImmigrants And The American Dream1362 Words   |  6 PagesImmigrants and the American Dream In the article â€Å"The American Dream†, by James Truslow Adams in The Sundance Reader book, he stated that the American dream is that 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. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and highRead MoreThe American Dream By Kimberly Amadeo1637 Words   |  7 PagesNowadays, a large number of people migrate to the United States to work and achieve the American Dream. According to the Article â€Å"What is the American Dream?† by Kimberly Amadeo, â€Å"The American Dream was first publicly defined in 1931 by James Truslow Adams in Epic of America. Adam’s often-repeated quote is, ‘The American Dream is that dream of land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyon e, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.’† There are many peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The American Dream 754 Words   |  4 Pages Nyreel Powell Ms. Jones American Literature 1 June 2015 The American dream in A Raisin in the Sun Have you ever had a dream and it didn’t come how you wanted it to be? Have you ever had accomplishments that you wanted to achieve but people were getting in the way of them? 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Self destruction, if you will†¦ Mr. Self Destruct Read MoreSuccess As One Of The American Dream1137 Words   |  5 PagesApril 2015 Success as One of The American Dream When we hear the word â€Å"success†, we often think of wealth and money. To some people, the embodiment of being success is earning a lot of money. In fact, the concept of success is primarily based on how much money a person earns. However, each person views the definition of success differently. One way to define success is something that has more to do with flash than it does with substance. John Wooden, an American basketball player and coach viewRead MoreJim Cullen And The American Dream2081 Words   |  9 Pages The American Dream, as defined by Cullen, is starting your goal off with a little and ending with more; it s like a business, you invest in it in order to gain more money. Usually, people will define the American Dream as being able to achieve your goal because everyone is offered opportunities. Cullen does acknowledge that people are born with different opportunities, so he talks about the good life. The good life describes different factors that determine your opportunities. Throughout the otherRead MoreFactors Influencing The American Dream1834 Words   |  8 Pagesindividual to succumb or to not succumb to the seductions of crime. These three factors are brilliantly portrayed in the television show, Breaking Bad and the novel, The Stick Up Kids. The American Dream is what many American citizens strive for. However, not all of those citizens are able to achieve the American Dream through a legal pathway. The reason an indivudal may not being able to do so is because of his or her background factors. It is important to note that background factors are a fractionRead MoreShark Tank And The American Dream1755 Words   |  8 PagesShark Tank and The American Dream The TV show Shark tank embodies everything the American dream represents. The show obtains successful Entrepreneurs ready to invest their own money into other Americans wanting to be just like them, reaching the American dream and become a successful entrepreneur. The show presents entrepreneurs working towards the goal of creating a business to not only gain wealth but also change the way we live today. The show is to keep the American dream alive and well while