AMERICAN DREAM

MEANING
OF •The American dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of
where they were born or what class they were born into, can
AMERICAN attain their own version of success in a society in which
upward mobility is possible for everyone.
DREAM
•The American dream is believed to be achieved through
sacrifice, risk-taking, and hard work, rather than by chance.
•The term "American dream" was coined in a best-
selling book in 1931 titled Epic of America.
•James Truslow Adams described it as "that dream of a
land in which life should be better and richer and fuller
for everyone, with opportunity for each according to
ability or achievement."
•The American dream was aided by a number of factors
that gave the United States a competitive advantage
over other countries.
•Homeownership and education are often seen as paths
to achieving the American dream.
•Though the definition of the American Dream has
changed to mean different things to different
generations, it's undoubtedly part of the American
ethos, and likely always will be.
ADVANTAGES OF
AMERICAN
DREAM
•Achieving the American dream requires political and
economic freedom, as well as rules of law and private
property rights. Without them, individuals cannot make
the choices that will permit them to attain success, nor
can they have confidence that their achievements will
not be taken away from them through arbitrary force.

•The American dream promises freedom and equality. It

offers the freedom to make both the large and small
decisions that affect one’s life, the freedom to aspire to
bigger and better things and the possibility of achieving
them, the freedom to accumulate wealth, the
opportunity to lead a dignified life, and the freedom to
live in accordance with one’s values—even if those
values are not widely held or accepted.
DISADVANTAGES OF
AMERICAN DREAM
•Terming it a "dream" also carries with it the notion that
these ideals aren't necessarily what has played out in the
lives of many actual Americans and those who hope to
become Americans. The criticism that reality falls short of
the American dream is at least as old as the idea itself. The
spread of settlers into Native American lands, slavery, the
limitation of the vote (originally) to white male landowners,
and a long list of other injustices and challenges have
undermined the realization of the dream for many who live
in the United States.

•As income inequality has increased substantially since the

1970s, the American dream has begun to seem less
attainable for those who aren't already affluent or born into
affluence. According to U.S. Census family income data, real
family income began to grow much more among the top
income group than among other segments of American
society.
EXAMPLES •Examples of the American Dream include owning your own house,
starting a family, and having a stable job or owning your own business.
 IS IT •It's widely debated if the American Dream is
still achievable, and what that achievement
AMERICAN even entails. Indeed, today, many people
wonder if they can keep up with rising
DREAM housing costs and interest payments on loans
needed to purchase things like homes and

STILL cars. Moreover, American's need to save for

their own retirement and pay large out-of-
pocket costs for healthcare and higher
ACHIEAVB education, which can leave families saddled
with high-interest debt that is hard to crawl
LE back from.
•The concept of the American dream is still one of the most uniquely "American" ideals—the
ultimate idea that any individual should be able to pursue their dreams and build the life they want
if they put in the hard work. This motivating drive influences the econOMY with entrepreneurship
and individual ambition, infusing a romantic notion to anyone trying to be successful in the United
States. Though the definition of the American Dream has changed to mean different things to
different generations, it's undoubtedly part of the American ethos, and always will be.
THE END