The notion of the American Dream is widely used describing the American Society in general. Sometimes we hear: “He is the real embodiment of the American Dream”. But what does it mean? Is he famous? Is he successful? Has he much money? The answer is YES. He is prosperous and wealthy. But how has he reached that? The answer is he believed in the American Dream. What is the American Dream, then?
The American dream is the idea held by many in the United States of America that through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity. These were values held by many early European settlers, and have been passed on to subsequent generations. The origin of the American dream stems from the departure in government and economics from the models of the Old World. This allowed unprecedented freedom, especially the possibility of dramatic upward social mobility. Europeans came to America to escape a poor quality of life at home. They wanted to embrace the promise of financial security and constitutional freedom they had heard existed so widely in the United States. That was the time when some poor people coming to a new Land could achieve wealth. Nearing the twentieth century, major industrialist personalities became the new model of the American dream, many beginning life in the humblest of conditions but later controlling enormous corporations and fortunes. Perhaps most notable here were the great American capitalists Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. This acquisition of great wealth appeared to demonstrate that if you had talent, intelligence, and a willingness to work extremely hard, you were likely to be a success in life as a result. There are hundreds of such examples, in fact. But, still, is that so simple? Is that really a formula that works? That is the question.