The American Dream And The Reality Of The American Dream

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nything is possible. In the land of the free, anyone can be anyone they want or have anything they want. No matter the skin color, no matter the gender, even if one was born into poverty, the potential for anyone to rise exists and the potential to obtain fame and fortune is all too real. As long as one works hard and long enough, as well as takes risks and initiatives, then this American Dream, this hope for a better future, can become a reality. Many Americans cling onto this promise like rats press a lever in Skinner’s box; rats will continually press the lever for a chance at food just as Americans will continually hope for a chance at living big. Unfortunately, this idea is simply outdated, as the idea was birthed in a completely different …show more content…

These external factors can either diminish or enhance a person’s merits and their work, so much so that these factors can both render one person incapable of achieving the American Dream and propel another person at that same dream. The idea that merit invariably lend itself to success is simply untrue, making the American Dream just a dream. Firstly, not everyone is eligible for the American dream because merit is tainted by racial prejudice. Merit can be construed differently because everyone has a different set of values. For example, an employer looking for hire has to choose between two people. The employer believes one of these two to be a drunk, while the employer does not know anything about the other. Both of these potential employees are equally good at the job. Naturally, the employer …show more content…

Many Americans will not be able to outcompete the more wealthy Americans in education, which means the poorer will not be able to outcompete wealthier in the job market. Moreover, the racial prejudices that exist against some minority groups will extinguish their qualifications before they even have a chance to prove themselves. And even if a poor person tries desperately to work hard to climb up the economic ladder, the weight of the physical and mental stress will crush them. Thus, the American Dream cannot be realized by the majority of Americans, and hence cannot become a reality. Alas, the American Dream ceases to be anything more than a futile hope and an empty

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