Vanishing American Dream

Life in society is not controlled by forces beyond our reach, rather our fate is sealed by the decisions we make. Our survival, living in the real world, handling obstacles, and facing the brutality of limited income and resources, correlates to our ability to adapt to the conditions at hand. In my situation, I chose an actuarial career and moved to San Francisco to work for Uber as an actuarial analyst. I was ecstatic when assigned both this career and a high salary because I could pursue my passion in math, the numbers, the invisible paints on an infinite canvas, and still receive moderate compensation. As one of highest earners in the class, the actuary managed to live comfortably, whereas my classmates graduated from less respected institutions

The growing gaps in wealth (inequality), the lack of social mobility and opportunity, and the disappearing middle class all contribute to this phenomenon, the vanishing American Dream. Fortunately, I managed to earn above the household median income, 56,516, hold a steady job with good benefits, and live in affordable, comfortable home (my salary $66,020). The luxuries afforded to me do not hold true for all Americans, and unfortunately, the inequality of opportunity remains a troubling social ill for the American people. As an adult, one is part of a bigger system, the marketplace, and makes economic decisions which influence their own lives and society as a whole. Individual households play a integral role in the economy, buying and selling goods on the product market, selling their labor, property, and other resources on the factor market, and facilitating the flow of money through the

The economic obstacles piled on a recent graduate like student loans, rent, insurance, and taxes can drive a young adult to the brink of bankruptcy, the end of their future. The skills and knowledge gained from this finance project gave me an awareness of how to balance a budget and survive in the real world. Hence, this project served as a tool to not only prepare me for the challenges of everyday life, but a tutorial on how to make economic decisions as an individual integrated in the economy. Furthermore, the invaluable experience handling one’s finances allow me to gain insight into the real lives of people after college. The struggle to find a job, to pay rent, to buy food, and to pay off student loans, all the hassle to not drown in debt, is meaningless without a goal or a plan for the future. To succeed in life, an individual must pursue their passion, without an ulterior motive, rather altruistically to do what they love in life. Life should not be filled with regrets, rather taken advantage to the maximum, and fulfilled with passion, vigor, adventure, bravery, and ambition. Only then, can one state that they have completed their bucket list and done everything imaginable in their