The American Dream "Or Lack Of"

The American Dream is an idea that can mean many different things to many different people. For instance, the American Dream for my family may be to live without worries of financial issues. To our neighbors it may mean the sandy beaches of Hawaii. It means many different things and especially to different societies, races, and cultures. I may generalize some races and cultures in this essay, not meaning any offense to any of them, but as examples only.

As the settlers came to the New World for the first time to escape evil rulers and harsh religions, would this be called the first American Dream? We were not even a country at the time... let alone even thought of as independent. Later after the signing of the Declaration of Independence many immigrants came to America for the American Dream: better working conditions and pay, freedom of religion, a place to start over, a place without an evil government. These were some of the reasons that so many ventured forth to America. At this time do you think that the blacks saw America as a place of freedom, a place to start anew? No, of course not. They were slaves. Their dream was not of America but of Africa where there was freedom not slavery for them.

As our country progressed, and slavery/racism became outlawed it was a place for their version of the American Dream. What is there for the American Dream now? Porn, drugs, killing, racism, and AIDS are only a few of the indulgences of America that people come to America hoping to get away from but it is right here when they step foot on our land. What about (some of) the Native American reservations sitting on their butts and living off the government, letting the working class pay their bills while they sell drugs. The Mexicans come for better working conditions, so do the Chinese. The Koreans come for financial freedoms and the hope of working and making something of themselves. But while all this is happening the Americans are leaving our own country, for what you ask? The same things that everyone is coming to America for, the American Dream.

Growing up in America is so different for each individual, depending on the individual. Let's say one child grows up in a family where both parents are drug addicts and live off of the governmental money they get each month. The child depending on his hopes and dreams can follow his parents and become a "druggie." While this child grows up in this household maybe he realizes that to make a better life for him they must not end up like his parents and do something with his life. This shows that even in the same culture someone can become two totally different things because of how he perceives the American Dream.

There is one big difference in learning in America for students. Not bringing into effect the race or religion of the student but only what side of the Mason Dixon line they grow up on. In the northern states it is taught from their perspective of the Civil War. While the southern states perceive the Civil War won by them and still fly the stars and bars. This shows major differences in teachings in America.

If you were to ask a Native American, a White Caucasian, and a African American to give you a timeline for our history, I believe that each would have some race specific dates having to do with freedoms or horrible acts have been committed on them. Growing up in America has a lot to do with your race, culture, religion, and many other factors, even though today we do not want to say that racism makes barriers but it does.