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American Dream Paradox Essay

571 Words3 Pages

Paradox and dream
Americans have developed the idea of an American Dream over decades of time, we have came to believe and trust in these ideas throughout the years. From generation to generation the American Dream has been built on, changed but still carries some of the past along with it. Our beliefs help us pursue the American Dream in that they give Americans the idea of never settling for less, to fancy ourselves as stubborn realist, and that we have inherited self-sufficiency.
According to John Steinbeck, Americans are never satisfied, always searching for the next come up and wanting more. They are always going over the top and doing everything to the extreme. As a nation we eat too much, we spend over our means, and reference the …show more content…

They boast their monetary contributions to organizations but will never admit verbally it was only for the tax break. They also see homelessness as less than and walk around them avoiding the reality of need altogether, helping them stay in this predisposed dream and not waking up to the actual issue of necessary contributing.
If asked in America what is the American dream, it represents something different to everyone but none the less is absolutely real and definite to then. Americans fight for this dream but not realizing that when they get it they are still not happy. Very proud and boastfully airing their accomplishments but deep inside or behind closed doors they want it all to end. Having all these things in life; great house,driving the newest car, and living with the best appliances does not equate to every American's dream. We all have different ideas that we develop or have been forced to believe that this is the way to having our dreams. We learn to adjust and manipulate it to fit our unique lifestyle. Only who is measuring the standards Americans live by and setting these unrealistic measurements for people's success.The thing is that no one can actually define what it is, or point to it and say this person is living in it. It is not even an actual real thing but so many americans live and breathe to this very real dream. After all if we did not have these dreams, people would not have something to guide

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