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The Illusion Of The American Dream Essay

1553 Words7 Pages

Nimit Patel Ms. Gibbs English 302 03/26/2022 The Illusion of the American Dream Many people feel that the American Dream is dead in modern society. Why do they feel this way? How has society changed and how have those changes affected the possibility of achieving the American Dream? For generations, the American Dream has been considered as the symbol of hope and success for people around the world. It speaks for the idea of hard work and perseverance, anyone can achieve social mobility and success. Despite the promises of all of these advantages and prosperity, the American Dream has become unattainable for the typical American. The constantly rising cost of living and education have all contributed to the dream appearing more and …show more content…

"Americans believe financial security is at the core of the American Dream, but it is alarming that so many think it is beyond their reach," (PR Newswire, 2018) Without financial security of some sort (a large, critical part of the American Dream), the Dream is dead due to lack of equal opportunities for those born impoverished compared to those born into wealth. This raises the question of whether social mobility is actually intact in America. Opportunities for upward social mobility are becoming limited, if not to the point of becoming non-existent. Along with the rising costs of living, the vicious cycle of poverty is becoming even harder to break out of. “Families of color did not live idyllic lives due to the systemic racial inequality they have faced throughout history. “The American Dream” has never been a privilege extended to persons of color, and that is certainly seen in both post-war consumerism as well as modern-day America.” (Kaleigh White, 2021). The American Dream hasn’t really been extended towards people of color & minorities, even though being shown as some sort of hope for their life. The idea of the American Dream has a set of ideals and opportunities that were supposed to be made to everyone, but this hasn’t really been the case for people of color. This type of racism has persisted …show more content…

Over half of adults in a research survey believe that they cannot achieve financial security with their own abilities. “The research study is based on a survey of more than 3,200 adults… they are less confident in their long-term financial decisions and more than half don't believe (54 percent) they will achieve financial security for themselves and their family.” (PR Newswire 2018). Though the American Dream promises this, and even though it may be possible, not everyone has the same level of access to these opportunities. The data shown in the research survey indicate that many adults lack confidence in their own abilities, and may be discouraged from pursuing their own dreams. These inequalities may play a huge role in creating these

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