Argumentative Essay: The American Dream And Happiness

When living in a country so deeply embedded with capitalistic values, it would only be obvious that those with the most wealth would find luxuries more accessible to them, one of these being the American Dream. To counter this idea most people will often reference the overused cliche that money cannot buy happiness, but there is no evidence to backup this claim. In America money is the key that opens every door, if used properly wealth can help you reach both the American Dream and happiness. With these ideas in mind it is easy to see how those with wealth would have a large chance at living the American Dream, while those without wealth or those in poverty would find it almost impossible. America as a whole has changed, nothing holds as much weight as money does, “I think the

As a result of this shift those without wealth are left behind, with little hope of catching up. To reach the American Dream you first need Wealth, and while it would be unfair to claim that it is impossible for anyone to expand their wealth, it takes a large amount of time and risk to achieve large financial growth. There also exists a severe lack of hope within the system from the general American population, “But for all the optimism of youth, nearly one in six Americans younger than 30 do not believe they will pull ahead financially in the near future” (Morello). There is a serious distrust in the system, according to the study a large sum of people believe they have no chance at the American Dream. While to some people one in six may seem like a small percentage, this is simply based off of the subject’s beliefs, while in reality determination cannot carry you alone. Another study points towards the financial stability of most American households, claiming that, “Among the Fed’s findings is that about 44 percent of Americans can’t meet a $400 expense without borrowing, selling something, or paying the amount in installments over time”