Modern Day American Dream Ethical Dilemma

Ethical Dilemma of the Modern Day American Dream

There is a mental illness epidemic sweeping through American society today. According to the Center of Disease and Control Center, 25 percent of adults in America have some form of mental illness. The CDC continues, stating that 50 percent of American adults will develop at least one form of mental illness in their lifetime. Mental illness in the modern era is no longer hushed conversation, for people of all ages most likely have or know someone who has said to have a mental illness. While it is by no means a negative effect that mental illness is no longer shunned, one can not help but wonder what caused this shift. For this topic I am arguing that this recent epidemic is caused by an intangible American Dream that leaves us all

While this doesn’t initially sound like a bad thing, it can become incredibly overstimulating to be expected to use social media in order to stay connected to society. Although we may not consciously realize it, social media websites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have been said to possibly increase depression and anxiety. According to Sherry Turkle, MIT professor and author of Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, “Social media feeds this anxiety about being alone with our thoughts and prevents us from learning to enjoy our own company.” This anxiety created heightens the awareness of being truly alone, one we are becoming increasingly unfamiliar with as a society. Ultimately, whatever the root cause may be, this drastic increase of mental illness in the past couple decades is undoubtedly alarming and is rightfully up for many ethical debates. In the end, the underlying question lies in whether or not everyday Americans should risk their mental health for a chance at success at this modern-day American