How Has The American Dream Changed

The American Dream was built on the idea that it can be achieved by anyone. This was the idea when the term “American Dream” was initially coined nearly 100 years ago, and this idea hasn’t changed at all. Some may think the American Dream has changed drastically over the past 100 years, however, it hasn’t. This misconception is due to the fact that the American people’s ideals have changed quite a bit. The American Dream is a concept that can’t be summarized by a single idea. The American Dream is personalized, meaning it is an idea that changes with one’s beliefs. While there are millions of versions of the American Dream, they are all the same in that they share a mixture of three common elements: money, pride, and happiness. Many narrow-minded …show more content…
Happiness is the most important element of the American Dream. Happiness is unique from the other elements in that it should have no bound. Achieving maximal happiness while also obtaining adequate levels of pride and money is ideal. Without happiness the American Dream loses its meaning. Happiness is the internal structure of the American Dream. As said by The Declaration of Independence, there are certain unalienable rights, the pursuit of happiness being one of them, meaning that happiness is an entitlement that should be supplemented with great pride (Jefferson 1776). When striving for the American Dream it is necessary that happiness is sprinkled in along the way. There are many times that people give up on the pursuit of the American Dream just because they aren’t happy along the way. Happiness should be the main focus of the American …show more content…
For example it is possible to have too little money and still achieve the American Dream, it just must be counteracted with excessive levels of happiness. The American Dream is an idea that varies from mind to mind. The elements money, pride, and happiness are the components that make the American Dream what it is. Those who don’t believe the American Dream is achievable will fail to achieve from the start. They will lack in all of the elements as well. They will find themselves poor, corrupt, and depressed. The American Dream is just what someone makes it out to be and therefore it is achievable by anyone. If one is serious about achieving the American Dream his first priority should be deciding what his American Dream is comprised of. There isn’t one person in America that is stolen the right of pursuing and achieving the American Dream. As it pertains to the American Dream, equality is upheld. Minorities of any race have an equal opportunity of achieving the American Dream compared to the majority. The only difference between minorities and the majority when it comes to achieving the American Dream is the amount of each element that comprises their American Dream. With the idea of a specialized American Dream for all individuals in mind, the American Dream will remain constant and unchanged regardless of how American individual’s ideals change over