The American Dream In Today's Society

According to politician Leonard Boswell, “The American Dream is one of success, home ownership, college education for one 's children, and hav[ing] a secure job to provide these and other goals.” There are a multitude of people around the world who accept this umbrella definition of money and security being interchangeable with success. And yet, for one of the first times in American history, most parents do not believe that their children are going to be more prosperous than they were (Martin). The American Dream is a concept that can never be easily defined, measured, or calculated. Instead, it morphs to societies changes throughout the generations. While many years ago Boswell’s white-picket fence story of American success might have been the Dream,

In some cases, these deeply-rooted values can cause trouble, as many Americans do not easily forget when they have been offended or made inferior to someone. But in the long run, the prominence of these tenets cannot be ignored. It is this American sense of pride and dignity that unites us all in times of strife and chaos. A sense of enduring comradery that trumps all has filled a fundamental position in the establishment of American society as we know it today. This comradery can be seen in the most famous terrorist attack of the twenty-first century: 9/11. Ozzy Custodio, one of my fellow church members, is from New York and had many family members and friends who were still in New York on September 11. He had never seen people of all beliefs, genders, and ages rally behind something so strongly as they did the American flag after the attack. To see an entire city, then an entire country, put aside their differences to support each other and provide relief for those directly affected was earth-shaking. These reactions represented an embodiment of the people of America. Americans are proud citizens who will not be