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The American Dream
The American Dream as depicted by James Adams depicts a scenario whereby there
would be equal opportunities of all citizens according to their needs. Adams perceived such a
time when individuals would be assured of what rightfully belonged to them in line with their
interests, skills and level of expertise (Adams, 214). Besides, the ‘Epic of America’ author
looked forward to the situation where there would be a conducive environment to enable
American citizens achieve their dreams and aspirations to their capacity unperturbed by their
racial or ethnic background. The ideals of the dream were later adopted and integrated into the
Declaration of Independence. The dream as envisioned by Adams has been criticized by scholars
in regard to its reality and the ability to live the dream. The objective of this paper is to undertake
an in depth analysis of the dream in accordance to the theme: American Dream: Dead or Arrive.
The American dream has been a subject of discussion for decades. The major issue of
concern in the dream is that in realizing their full potential citizens are entangled with the York
of hard work in order to live the dream. The implication hereby is that individuals subject
themselves to long working hours to earn more and lead better lives as per the dream. Though
working extra hours assures one of higher quality life and makes them achieve the dream in part,
the implication is that one way or the other, the individual becomes enslaved. Ehrenreich (2001)
reveals that even during the inception of the American dream, economic times were difficult
especially for the poor. The argument is that all individuals are subject to the same economy
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regardless of their financial muscles and in contrast, they are faced with numerous additional
costs (Ehrenreich, 2001). Such have to work extra hard in order to merely sustain their simple
lifestyle. Citizens have to work for long hours persistently all through at the expense of their
social lives. However, social integration is one of the pillars of the American Dream.
The American Dream is contradictory in part. While emphasizing the need for citizens to
exploit their potential to achieve their goals and objectives, Adams stated that the dream did not
demand accumulation of wealth by individuals. However, for one to achieve their dreams to the
best of their ability, it calls for one to sacrifice leisure for work and reduce time spent
unproductively. According to Ehrenreich (2001), the income obtained from a single job in
America is insufficient to enable an individual sustain a decent lifestyle and keep up with the
high bills with hosing claiming the better part of income. The bottom line hereby is that the
American Dream cannot be achieved by merely working hard as this comes with consequences
some of which are centrally to some sections of the dream.
Ehrenreich (2001) asserts that while majority of the developed nations provide huge
subsidies and numerous effective and free services due to income disparities between
individuals; in America such services are not in effective despite the glaring wage differences.
The implication hereby is that low income earning individuals are not cushioned against the high
tides prevailing in the economy. The financial pressure exerted by the economy on low income
earners prompts them to seek several jobs and work round the clock to meet their financial
obligations. In the final analysis, persons end up dedicating the larger portion of their everyday
time either working or switching wok places. Consequently, the American Dream as presented
by Adams becomes a fantasy that may not be realized in the near future.
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Andrade (2015) asserts that the American dream is totally not achievable. American
citizens are over burdened with numerous bills which they have to settle time and again. The
implication hereby is that other than pursuing the dream, the average American nationals spend a
significant proportion of their earnings on bills in order to sustain their lifestyle. Consequently,
there is not enough left to pursue the life envisioned by Adams in the American Dream.
According to Erisman & Looney (2007), institutions of higher learning are vital in
realizing achieving the American dream. The argument in this case is that institutions of higher
learning equips learner with appropriate skills to enable them pursue their dreams and excel
professionally. Besides, in order to live life as envisioned in the American dream, it is important
for persons to be well versed and highly trained in their respective fields. Consequently, their
productivity will be elevated and efficiency boosted which will minimize wastage in the
production process. In effect, this would go a long way in attaining the dream. However,
America has enforced stringent restrictive measures to lock out immigrants from opportunities of
higher learning oblivious of the fact that the country continuously experiences large numbers of
immigrants (Gallagher, 2001).
American states have brought into effect strict measures pertaining to learning
opportunities in colleges whereby immigrants are denied work permits as discussed by Erisman
& Looney (2007). For immigrants, whether highly trained or otherwise to secure work permits,
immigrants are subjected to rigorous and rigid procedures. In effect, useful and vital skills are
locked out of the job market on account of their original nationality. This step has highly
compromised the possibility of achieving the American dream. Ehrenreich (2001) argues that
academic qualification is overshadowed in job places and in job seeking.
The major
consideration being that often individuals find themselves not practicing their professions but
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instead ends up taking up jobs that they are either semi skilled or unskilled. Often, persons are
forced to drop their areas of specialization after securing jobs in different organizations and
acquire completely different skills in line with their jobs. In this light, it is plausible to deduce
that college education may not play a role parse in enabling the majority to live and enjoy the
American dream.
Siegmund (2015) outlines the statistics of the American job market. Apparently, the
statistics reveals that the American job market is not in a position to provide full employment to
all qualified and eligible persons. In this light therefore, it is plausible to deduce that though
college education is vital in equipping persons with the relevant technical skills required to work,
the job market has little to no room to accommodate them. Consequently, many willing and able
individuals are partially employed and their full potential is not realized as championed in the
American dream. On this basis, the American dream represents an ideal situation and is thus not
possible to live the dream. The bottom line is that though college education plays a central role in
equipping persons with adequate information and skills, it is not really useful in order to achieve
the American dream.
Drastic changes have been witnessed in the American job market over the last few
decades. Cole (2014) attributes this trend partially to the great recession currently prevailing in
the American economy and partly to the sharp decline in the number of jobs particularly in the
manufacturing sector which was previously leading in employment. (Cole, 2014)
The
implication hereby is that the environment in which the American dream was hypothesized has
been replaced by a different economic environment making it extremely difficult to realize the
life envisioned by Truslow Adams.
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Ehrenreich (2001) demonstrates the struggle that job seekers have to endure before they
can finally secure a paying job if one is lucky enough. Worse still, one may be forced by
circumstances to take up ill-paying jobs due to the scarcity of jobs coupled with the need for
sustenance. In addition to the long and strenuous searches in vain for jobs, persons have a
narrow variety to choose from which is in contrast to Adams postulate of America being a land
of exponential opportunities for all. The situation becomes worse in the event that the job seeker
is not of American origin or worse still, a black. The change in market conditions without a
corresponding modification in the ideals of the American dream has made its achievement
unachievable. The adverse changes have been compounded by the ever growing rift between the
haves and have not who are faced with the challenge of attaining the dream while those that are
financially endowed are better placed in pursuing the dream.
Recovering from this hostile economic condition demands that active intervention
measures are instituted in order to create an economically conducive environment. The
government plays a major role in job creation in the economy. Addington (2012) discusses the
roles of the American government in creating sufficient jobs that will go a long way in enabling
the majority pursue the American dream. The government ought to reduce the numerous
regulatory policies imposed on investors. In so doing, this will encourage individuals to venture
into investments which will create more employment opportunities for the majority and enable
them increase their income. The overall effect of this measure is that it is bound to boost
investments in America to the benefit of the economy. As the economy grows and expands,
individuals will be closer to attaining life as envisioned by Adams Truslow.
Free Trade action has been considered among the most effective government
interventions in spurring economic growth and increased investments. Addington (2012) asserts
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that implementing a free trade policy would achieve significant ground in increasing the
available opportunities for the American people. Addington (2012) asserts that by implementing
free trade agreement between America and other countries would facilitate free flow of
commodities between countries leading to elevated levels of economic growth. Rapid economic
growth favors numerous investments which is beneficial to households. Besides increasing
opportunities for the general population, it culminates to low dependency ratio and higher
employment opportunities. The Congress should hereby strive to implement the free trade action
if achievement of the American dream is a priority.
Promoting the exploitation of natural resources is also a major measure which the
government can undertake in order to promote job creation. In the American context, it is within
the jurisdiction of the Congress to promote exploitation of fossil fuels in the states. In so doing,
the government would create numerous jobs as well as create a favorable economic environment
for private investors to invest their finances. In the final analysis, this measure would impact
positively to the economy by creating employment opportunities and contributing significantly
towards economic growth and development. In addition, individuals would be better placed to
strive for the life stipulated by Adams in the American dream.
Taxation principles are an important tool for the government if significant job creation is
to be achieved in America. The government ought to undertake to effectively implement a
progressive taxation system throughout the state. A progressive taxation system is implemented
in such a manner that individuals who earn more are taxed more and those earning less are taxed
less. The benefit of this taxation system is that besides narrowing the gap between the rich and
the poor, it avails more funds to the government which can then be used to promote small and
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medium enterprises. In so doing, this would in turn create more jobs to the general public thus
achieve the ultimate goal.
Increasing government expenditure is applicable in creating more jobs as discussed by
Boushey and Ettlinger (2011). In rendering services to the people as well as in its corporations,
the government offers job opportunities to the people. In this light therefore, increasing
expenditure directly translate into an increase in the job opportunities that the government avails
to the people. Boushey and Ettlinger (2011) present the argument that this approach is
particularly useful in the prevailing economic conditions in America following the great
recession experienced in the recent past. The recession created unfavorable investment
conditions for investors both local and international to the detriment of the economy and
employment levels at large.
Government exclusion from businesses would have detrimental effects on the
achievement of the American dream. The government plays a critical role in legislation of laws
regulating business activities. Allowing businesses to run independent of regulatory authority
would result into exploitation of consumers by the businesses which would in turn widen the gap
between the poor and the rich. Widening of the gap would have adverse consequences since the
American dream hopes for bridging of the gap to allow persons of different financial and social
status to be at par as far as access to the available opportunities is concerned. Besides,
withdrawing government intervention would deny low income earners an opportunity to pursue
their abilities and rise to the highest level possible. In this light therefore, government role is the
only hope for the low income earners of standing the chance to stretching their abilities and
edging closer to living the American dream.
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In line with the discussion outlined by Ehrenreich (2001) and according to my assessment
of the text, doing what one loves may not be consistent with living the American dream. Of
importance for one to get closer to living the dream is to focus all their efforts to making money.
Though Adams hypothesized that the dream was not about wealth accumulation apparently low
income earners have indefinitely few opportunities than those with financial muscles. Low
income earners are left to the mercy of the government to regulate the economy and create a
conducive environment to attract private investors and provide huge subsidies. However, such
government support is not always forthcoming thus jeopardizing the chances of the low income
earners to bridge the gap in order for them to approach the ideals of the American dream.
Essentially from a critical point of view, in the event that doing what I love does not earn
significant income, such an undertaking is not worth while as far as the American dream is
involved. In the final analysis, it is the financial position that determines the opportunities
available to individuals. In this respect therefore, making money holds a higher priority than
doing what one loves. Without a reliable source of significant income that allows one to afford
more than basically their bills, one stands no chances of living the American dream with
conditions remaining constant. In my own capacity hereby, I advocate for individuals looking
forward to living the dream to abandon doing what they love if it does not draw them closer to
living the dream and focus on making money.
As demonstrated herein, racism has been one of the greatest hindrances to attainment of
the American dream besides making the dream a mere fantasy. Ehrenreich (2001) argues that
majority of those with low paying and seemingly odd jobs are either African Americans or
immigrants from other countries while those with decent and modest jobs are Native Americans.
Apparently, this illustrates racism at its best. Such form of racism in offering of jobs is still
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evident in the American job market with immigrants and African Americans even of American
origin being discriminated against. Racism has been one of the barriers that have frustrated
efforts by significant numbers of immigrants to practice their skills and abilities thus derailing
them from living the American dream as envisioned by Adam Tuslow. Daniel, 2015 argues that
racism has played a major role in rendering the ambitions and aspirations of many people in
America redundant. Cases of gender bias and discrimination along sexual orientation are rare
though these too have played a role towards killing of the American dream.
Economic standing has been a major issue in achieving the ideals hypothesized by Adam
Tuslow pertaining to the American dream. The hazardous economic times experienced in the
American economy has for long been a major drawback in achieving the American dream. Of
importance are times of recession and depression that have been experienced time and again in
the states bearing adverse consequences on the efforts to achieve the American dream. Numerous
factors have contributed immensely towards the death f the American dream. The factors are
either internal or internal.
The bottom line according to the discussion laid down in this paper is that the American
dream as championed by Adam Tuslow is a fantasy which may take the American people
decades to achieve. Besides changes in the economic times between the present and during its
inception, a myriad of other factors have widened the gap between the life envisioned in the
dream and the achievable lifestyle. The rising wage bill without corresponding increase in
income for low income earners makes it additionally difficult for this group of citizens to bridge
the gap between the poor and the rich and draw closer to achieving the American Dream. Ideally,
persons who prioritize and seek to pursue the dream ought to seek ways of increasing their
income in order to increase chances of gaining access to all the available opportunities.
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Works Cited
Adams Truslow. The Epic of America (p 214-215). 1931
Addington S. David. Government’s Proper Role in Creating Jobs: Top Five Actions to Take.
Heritage Foundation Publisher. No. 2644, 2012.
Arnade Chris Who Still Believes in the American dream? The Atlantic, 2015
Boushey Heather & Ettlinger Michael. Government Spending Can Create Jobs. Centre for
American Progress, 2011.
Cole, Merine. U.S Job Market Has Changed Dramatically in The Last 15 Years. The Fiscal
Times, 2014.
Daniel, Nassbaum. Salma Hayek: Racism in America is “The Big Elephant in The Room”. 2015
Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed On (Not) Getting By in America. Henry Holt and
Company Publisher, 2001.
Erisman, Wendy & Looney Shannon. Opening the Door to the America Dream: Increasing
Higher Education and Success for Immigrants, 2007.
Gallagher, Dorothy. Making Ends Meet. The New York Times, 2001
Siegmund Fred Current job and employment data: American job market, 2015.