The Myth of the American Dream: Rejection and Actualization in the 21st Century

Abstract

The hyperbolical "American Dream" is no longer attainable for young people in America. This statement is based on the evolution of the definition of material success seen in the recent generations. This success described in the American Dream is based on the quantifiable outcomes of home ownership, wage and income, family dynamics, and educational opportunity. The historical circumstances in which the American Dream was fundamentally created and achieved are no longer the present day circumstances that most young people find themselves in, and with this changing reality the idea of the American Dream itself must be rejected for it's unrealistic expectations it puts on people, or a new one must form to take its place. The idea of a "New American Dream" must also be explored and new definitions of success, opportunity and hard work must be taken into consideration in the new age of technological development and globalization.