Define: "The American Dream"

[Skip Intro]

What is it?

And why do "they" want to "help" me "achieve" it?


On edit:

And how is it differnt from, say, the "Canadian Dream?" Or the "Danish Dream?" Or the "Nigerian Dream?"

[Fenris]

1. Something you'd have to be asleep to believe.

[Warpy]

2. LOL! Perfect answer!

Before Reagan it meant getting an education or an apprenticeship, working hard, buying a home, raising and educating children, and being able to retire and do a little travelling in your later years.

After Reagan, it's mean paying the mortgage for just one more month, hoping the car doesn't need a repair, hoping the kids get scholarships because that will reduce the debt they start life with, and hoping you don't get sick, and hoping you die before you retire, because all you're going to have is Social Security, and even that aint safe.

It's become the American Nightmare for most of us.

[Tight_rope]

3. I've been waiting for someone to ask me this question all my life!

The "TRUE" American Dream is to be in "DEBT".....Credit, Credit, Credit!

[sidestreamer]

4. Hmm... the American Dream

Global domination, extreme nationalism, getting fat, owning three SUVs per capita, using a credit card, throwing away items after a single use, and eating pork rinds.

[gauguin57]

5. My American Dream is the hope that the American Idea ...

... will come ever closer to reality. A truly free place, whose citizens are responsible to and for each other. A place where everyone lives and lets live. A place where your religion or lack of religion is your business and no one else's ... where you can join with like-minded individuals to talk about the issues of the day without the FBI coming and asking you what you're planning to protest about. A place where EVERYONE has the POTENTIAL to basically have a comfortable, happy life -- free from want, free from fear. (No one promises us a rose garden, but it would be nice for everyone to at least have a SHOT at pursuing happiness -- and have the support system to do that). A country that works well with other countries of the world on geopolitical issues of vital interest to the whole globe. A place that can have glittering, skyscrapered cities and still keep the air clean over its wide-open spaces.

And so on.

First thing we do, we kick Bush outta the White House. Because with him in there, none of the above will ever, ever be possible again!

[Gregorian]

6. Ha

I like that last part. Really. Just how is it different, other than EASIER. And that's just what makes it different- the individualism. The financial freedom. Freedom from constraints, that is. But this goes against "community". In fact, I believe it has led us to where we are today.

My answer to your question to what is the American dream-

Start a business
Own a house
Retire

[kodi]

7. the american dream is that you get to figure it out for yourself

.

[AP]

8. The idea that if you work hard, you will do well, and that if you can't,

America will look out for you because there's no reason that anyone should live out their one chance on this planet without a modicul of dignity and happiness, especially in a society which is able to create so much wealth.

It's also the idea that, as Al Sharpton said, in America it doesn't matter where you started, it matters where you're going, and everyone should have an opportunity to go as far as their hard, honest work can take them.

[Skip Intro]

9. If I may

..."and that if you can't, America will look out for you because there's no reason that anyone should live out their one chance on this planet without a modicul of dignity and happiness, especially in a society which is able to create so much wealth."

Oh man, do I agree!

I do wonder if you meant to use the word "chance" tho.

Chance at what?

[AP]

11. Chance...I meant: 'one opportunity for life on this planet.'

We all get one life on this planet (I think most people would agree). I don't see why we can't make it as nice as possible for as many people as possible.

[Skip Intro]

12. Yeah, cool. I agree

100%

[Skip Intro]

13. Can you imagine if that were the goal of society/government at large?

Man, a true government for the people.

Let's make sure our ENTIRE soceity is fed, clothed, and sheltered, and THEN we can make the new Hummers, or the next generation nukes.

If the world were really run by the people...

[AP]

20. In a society that can create as much wealth as ours, it's a crime that

anyone lives in misery.

And I don't mean just that we should be taking money from the people who are rich today to create a safety net. I mean, our society actively does things to create less wealth in order to protect the privileges of a few people who would rather have guaranteed wealth in a less efficient economy than compete for greater wealth in an efficient, comeptitive, wealth-producing economy.

We COULD be creating enough wealth to give everyone a decent life without anyone being incredibly or unfairly burdened.

[Maple]

10. 'A chicken in every pot

and a car in every garage' - Herbert Hoover

[Stew225]

14. The American Dream involves Heidi Klum

and a front end loader of whipped cream.

[DemBones DemBones]

19. Not the American wet dream. Pay attention!

:spank:

[morgan2]

15. propaganda to appease the masses

[Cleita]

16. Maybe those Europeans will go home so

we Americans can go back to hunting buffalo? Sorry, it's late.

[BiggJawn]

17. Well, isn't "Fannie Mae" in the "American Dream" business?

So to me, that means getting saddled with oppressive debt for an over-priced house that will suck every spare dime you have so you can spend all your spare time worrying about "Your Investment" instead of doing things and going places to enjoy your life.

IOW, a fucking nightmare of busting your nuts 3,000 hours a year to ensure that guys like Alan Pondscum and Bill Gates can afford plenty of Cialis. In fact, why don't they just sign an Executive Order requiring us to set up direct deposit of our paycheques into Halliburton's account?

[antigone382]

18. Something a bit vague but very romantic

I can't think of the American Dream without thinking of F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby (even though that book is really about the failures of the American Dream). I'd say the American Dream is the belief that we each have the potential to live our own dream, whatever it is, provided we each work hard and live ethically.

Then again, maybe the American Dream is found in the Declaration of Independence itself. Maybe it could be construed as a firm commitment to freedom, equality, and justice for all, as provided in the Constitution; I think we all agree that those ideals will in all probability never be fully reached. There will always be injustice, there will always be prejudice, and there will always be abuse of power in this nation and in the world. However, the American Dream is the continued belief that the ideals given in the Constitution matter, that they are worth fighting for, no matter how impossible it may be to ever fully achieve them. The American Dream is, in short, the belief that trying against all odds to achieve something noble--even if it yields only failure--is better than not trying at all.

I don't know if that's any different or better than the Canadian Dream or any other dream. Maybe we should just call it "The Human Dream."

And I'm off the soapbox.

Edited for grammatical errors.