Michael W. Kraus 'American Dream? Or Mirage?'

What is the American Dream? The American Dream is defined by the ideal that life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. In the article “ American Dream? Or Mirage?” by Michael W. Kraus, Shai Davidai, and A. David Nussbaum, the idea that the lower you are on the wealth/class scale the more you believe in the american dream, whilst on the other hand the higher you are, the more you think it is just luck rather than merit. Professor Kraus et al were wrong in saying that the American Dream is still alive when in truth the American Dream is dying if it is not already dead not only in the upper class but also in the lower class.

As the safe routines in our lives have begun to disappear, so has the characteristic optimism and not only the belief that the future is full of limitless possibility, but the faith that things will eventually return to normal, whatever normal can be seen as before the recession and other things hit. In the article Kraus et al states that “ the rising economic gap between the rich and poor in society” seems to be getting worse meaning if the United States continues down its current path the future will be break out best because in the fact that today the American Dream is slowly diminishing. ( Kraus 339) In the lower class there is even worry that the dream may already be over and that the current Americans living are the unfortunate ones who shall bear witness to that deflating moment in American history when the promise of this country and having a better life are slowly disappearing forever, possibly never to return even for the future