What is The American Dream? “The American Dream is 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. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth and position.” (Adams) This quote is from James Truslow Adams, a historian, who coined the term “The American Dream”, in his book “The epic of America”, published in 1933.
The American Dream is the reason why many people have decided to move to the
When a student does reach college, they are set back again. But not only that, the wealthy students are better prepared to excel in college in other ways. Once a student reaches a college, one might think that the playing field is more equal. What if all students who present to college have about the same knowledge base? One would expect two students, with equal knowledge base, but different social economic status, to do the same in their classes. However, this is not the case. In a recent New York Times article “Are College Lectures Unfair?” Annie Murphy Paul discusses this. What has been shown is that the classic passive lecture style, the one typically taught in undergraduate education, favors the “privileged population” (Annie Paul). This is because they have been experiencing this at a younger age and for longer periods than any other demographic. As such, she brings up one of the many advantages that higher socioeconomic status brings. This is because colleges are “biased against undergraduates who are not white, male, and affluent”(Annie Paul). There has been evidence stating that lectures are not “generic or neutral” (Annie Paul) but specifically favors some students while discriminating against “women, minorities, low-income students, and first generation college students. This is not a matter of instruction biased, but the lecture
“What Ever Happened to Upward Mobility?”. Everything is an Argument. Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewics. and Keith Walters. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013. 901-08. Print
Fish, Stanley. “Fair is Fair”. Everything is an Argument. Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruzkiewics. And Keith Walters. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013. 948-50. Print
Paul, Annie Murphy. “Are College Lectures Unfair?” New York Times 13 Sept. 2015: 12(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.
4 Martha J. Bailey and Susan M. Dynarski, “Inequality in Postsecondary Attainment,” 2011. In Greg Duncan and Richard Murnane, eds., Whither Opportunity: Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children's Life Chances, pp. 117-132. New York: Russell Sage
In an article originally published in May 2003 in USA Today called “College Isn’t For Everyone,” by W.J. Reeves combined these rhetorical devices to make a compelling argument that although colleges are easily accessible, higher education lacks students with the capabilities of academic success. To validate this claim, Reeves uses persuasive appeals to convey an effective argument by influencing the audience, however, he limits his reach because of the excessive pathos and condescending tone used to present his argument.
John Marsh, Ph.D., shares his epiphany, that his sharing the popular belief that higher education was the answer to bringing about economic equality and curing poverty, was in fact wrong; in this short selection, “Why Education Is Not an Economic Panacea”, taken from his book, “Class Dismissed: Why We Cannot Teach or Learn Our Way Out of Inequality”. Marsh had felt that gaining a higher education himself worked to bring him to a level of economic equality, so, it should work the same way for everyone else. His change of heart comes after perhaps stepping down from the pedestal that many, with lots of letters after their name, sit on, or are put upon by others, and witnessing first-hand the dismal rates of graduation of students in the single course he teaches for The Odyssey Program. Serving as good Public Relations for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the program’s purpose was two-fold; it was to provide, at no cost, college level course(s) for low-income adults and look good for the University. In this excerpt, Marsh’s narrow vision seems to have opened up somewhat, however, it does not demonstrate that his visual field widened enough to see that there is much, much more than simply economics or education that is at play in determining where people end up in the spectrum of being considered successful in the United States. (Marsh 914)
An industry that once promoted fairness and attainability was now itself becoming an obstacle to overcome. “American universities are in fact organized according to middle- and upper-class cultural norms or rules of the game and that these norms do indeed constitute an unseen academic disadvantage for first-generation college students transitioning to university settings” (Stephens et. al, 2012). This proposed characteristic serves as an almost uncontrollable and unchangeable disadvantage that students will likely fail to subdue. Institutions should serve as mediating platforms that allow students to start at impartial grounds, where their talents, abilities and connections are the only factors that can influence their
First, what is the American dream? According to David Wallechinsky, “the traditional American Dream is based on the belief that hardworking citizens can improve their lives, pay their monthly bills without worry, give their children a start to an even better life, and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire” (1). “The American Dream” states, “It has always represented the possibility for individuals to succeed and live a life of wealth and comfort, made possible by both the political and economic attitudes in the USA and the individual’s own hard work” (1). Daniella Nicole adds that “in years past, chasing the American Dream meant the sky was the limit. . .” (1).
The right and privilege to higher education in today’s society teeters like the scales of justice. In reading Andrew Delbanco’s, “College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be, it is apparent that Delbanco believes that the main role of college is to accommodate that needs of all students in providing opportunities to discover individual passions and dreams while furthering and enhancing the economic strength of the nation. Additionally, Delbanco also views college as more than just a time to prepare for a job in the future but a way in which students and young adults can prepare for their future lives so they are meaningful and purposeful. Even more important is the role that college will play in helping and guiding students to learn how to accept alternate point of views and the importance that differing views play in a democratic society. With that said, the issue is not the importance that higher education plays in society, but exactly who should pay the costly price tag of higher education is a raging debate in all social classes, cultures, socioeconomic groups and races.
The preconceived notions we tend to burden can have a snowball effect, ingraining the same potentially damaging ideas into our children, grandchildren, and so on, especially because there is likely no recognition of an issue present in the first place. The white guy habit we carry in our mind, generally unbeknownst to us, impairs the learning environment and too easily discredits qualified professionals that are women or of color. The bias we have towards white men in the classroom only contributes to the structural gender disparity that is apparent in the world, and particularly in the United States. Messner points out that nonwhite male professors are not only judged by students comparatively worse, but that judgements of white male professors are simultaneously boosted up in the student’s mind without their awareness.
In their book Paying for the Party, Armstrong and Hamilton discuss how universities take class differences and class projects of distinct women to define what will be their college experience. In their book, Armstrong and Hamilton define class projects as individual and class characteristics that defines a person’s agenda and class- based orientation. Hence, people with similar class projects, not only shared the same financial and cultural resources, but also the same expectations toward school. (Armstrong & Hamilton, 2013). As a result, Armstrong and Hamilton claims that students with similar class projects end up becoming a collective constituency and a representative group for the university, whom in turn must take their interests to form a college pathway for them. Therefore, a college pathway for Armstrong and Hamilton refers to how universities are able to take successfully the interests, class characteristics and expectations of students to mold within the organizational and architecture context of the school. In a way, each college pathway is built not only to represent, but also to provision and guide the different types of students in a college.
In January 2013 a prominent national US newspaper quoted former Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice, “It doesn’t matter where you come from, but where you are going.” However, In “The Land of Opportunity,” James Loewen discusses how significant inequality is in America. The social class that you are born into will influence your outlook on social class and will also be the social class you stay in (Loewen, 1995. 322). Your social class will determine the opportunities available for you including health, fitness, nutrition, education, SAT scores, medical resources and more (Loewen, 1995. 321-322). Loewen also proposes that the education system in America does not incorporate a proper analysis of our social class (Loewen, 1995. 323). It is necessary for students to be realistic about social inequality because it is linked with history. As students, we are socialized from an early age to believe in the American Dream through media and our loved ones. We were raised to believe our merit determines our success. In reality race and ethnicity, class, and gender play vital roles in determining where an individual ends up in life. The following articles raise inconvenient facts that go against the American Dream.
For several years I have been interested in the very question I posted as the title of this paper; why is there educational inequality amongst young adults after high school? In a capitalistic society such as the United States of America, people of one group seek a higher degree of education after high school than other groups. The groups I am speaking of, are of a certain socioeconomic status or different economic classes within a society. The group that tends to seek a higher degree of education after high school, is considered to be from the upper middle to upper class or less disadvantaged. The other group who tends not to seek a higher degree, is considered more often to be from the lower middle
Annie Murphy Paul’s “Are College Lectures Unfair?” is a well-written research based argument, but is it solid? In her article she questions “Does the college lecture discriminate? Is it biased against undergraduates who are not white, male and affluent?” She spends the rest of her essay providing evidence that active learning would benefit students who are “female, minorities and low income first generation college students”, while passive learning provides a bases for discrimination against the under- privileged. Unfortunately, while making good points, her essay is unfair. I think she’s the one being biased. Her predisposed claim makes it seem like only the teachers are at fault for teaching their students in a passive way by providing such
Sawhill, Isabel V., and Stephanie Owen. "Why We Still Think College Isn't for Everyone." http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/05/13-college-for-everyone-criticism-response-owen-sawhill. Web blog post. Brookings. The Brooking Institution, 13 May 2013. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
Berg, Gary. Low-Income Students and the Perpetuation of Inequality : Higher Education in America. Farnham, Surrey, GBR: Ashgate Publishing Group, 2010.
Before entering into defense of the argument, it is important to communicate that the current situation is one which demands reform. It must be understood that the state of the public school system is not simply confined to the domain of education but is instead very much interrelated with the distribution of wealth. The current opportunity gap-which affords those who are middle and upper class greater access to higher quality education-is the cause of the inequality seen in the distribution of income. “Children born into the top fifth of the income distribution have about twice as much of a chance of becoming middle class or better in their adult years as those born into the bottom fifth (Isaacs, Sawhill, & Haskins, 2008)”.
With the growth of income inequality since the 1970s, there has been a growth in education inequality. According to Greg Duncan and Richard Murnane in Growing income inequality threatens American education, before the 1970s American families with low incomes generally had opportunities to work their way to success. However, “computer-driven technological changes favoring highly educated workers… have produced sharply growing income gaps among families”. Education decline has “accompanied the
The American Dream was and always will be something that makes America great. It allows those with aspirations to make them come true. In America alone needs is a dream and the motivation to carry out that dream. Ambition is the driving force behind the American Dream. It allows any one that has an aspiration, a desire, a yearning, to carry out the individual dream. It knows no bounds of race, creed, gender or religion. It stands for something great, something that every one can strive towards. A dream can be a desire for something great. In America, the American Dream allows dreams to become realities. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, the American Dream is defined as "An American social ideal that' stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity". To live this dream is to succeed. It allows anyone, rich or poor to have the opportunity to succeed. It is the ability to come from nothing and become so me thing. To succeed at any thing you do, you must have patience and persistence. It requires hard work, persistence and a desire for something better. To have these qualities and the desire and ambition to carry the moutis part of the American Dream.