The concept of American Dream consists of many aspects, which together form a single network of values. Moreover, the American Dream as the national ethos has evolved significantly since independence as it was perfectly shown by Jim Cullen, thus my peers understand this completely differently. In most cases, the American Dream is associated with the realization of material goods for which money is needed, and, therefore, it is a product of the capitalist world. However, for me, this is not a form of multiplication of wealth or material support, but rather a certain spiritual reference point that helps to form a responsible person. It is clear that the American Dream is likely to be an idealistic project, but it does help to shape how to improve American life, to make people more equal in their abilities. Therefore, in my understanding, the American Dream is a special measure of individual freedom, which allows a person to cooperate with others in accordance with the principles of equality, liberty, and personal fulfillment.

My Vision of the American Dream

My vision of the American Dream is to make people more tolerant of each other in the context of human rights and dignity. We live in a multicultural society, where everyone has his/her own view of life, even often substantially different from the usual one. However, all these views are in the same American culture, where the principles of work, virtue, and happiness have always been the basis of democratic values. Therefore, it is important for me that people should learn to respect each other in America without hiding their malice or hatred until someone is ready to shoot a gay club or school. The worst enemy of the Americans today is the fear that has begun since the Cold War and intensified by terrorism. It is clear that Americans are able to consolidate and sympathize, but it seems that we are still constantly in a state of collective stress. I would like to have respect for other people, to their values ​​and customs, in order to encourage cooperation, but not hostility. Unfortunately, today many governments only increase xenophobia, depriving Americans of the chance to be better. American society will never be free and mobile until it is deprived of internal intolerance since it directly offends human dignity.

Next, I would like Americans to think less about money, and more about helplessness to other people and social opportunities for them. Whatever it was, but the achievement of the American Dream often requires money (the great example is the way of Gatsby in Fitzgerald’s novel), thus a person sends all his/her forces in order to realize it though hard work. As a result acording to write my discussion post, people are simply obsessed with money and measure all spheres of life with them, turning themselves into slaves of things and services. It often associates Americans with materialists, people who have no other purpose other than wealth. As a result, Americans are constantly in stress, internal dissatisfaction, and insecurity. In a sense, this is the wrong, distorted version of individualism, because it transforms people into cruel and selfish subjects, slaves of their dreams. Americans need to realize their needs, but also they should remember others who do not have such opportunities. Hence, money should not be an end in itself, but an opportunity for self-perfection, which will help “to inspire” other people. In this sense, it is necessary that Americans should do their favorite job, follow their way, but not only to work on the limit of physical strength in order to pay off credits. Therefore, I would like money to be only a means for self-improvement as a citizen who would be willing to reduce the gap between social classes.

Finally, I would like Americans to be more equal in their economic and social capacities. Of course, nobody is forbidden to make a million, but opportunities for this are not all the same. Unfortunately, there are many poor and those who will not be able to earn a living on their own in the United States. These people are forced to survive not only because they are lazy or foolish, but also limited in their abilities. Accordingly, I would like to have fewer poor people, and the gap between classes was minimal, whereby people could realize basic needs and unite around small goals. In a sense, it is a kind of social capitalism, where money helps people to co-operate, do good things for the benefit of society. Equity also implies equal responsibility for their actions, thus American society must be more open and fair. In this case, the American nation will only be stronger and more united in its desire to grow in equal opportunities.

The Connection with Cullen’s Cultural Constructs

First of all, my idea of ​​tolerance relates to Cullen’s cultural construct of ​​equality, which involves freedom and equal opportunities. In particular, Cullen connects this cultural construct with racialized society as well as the activity of Dr. MLK, who was trying to achieve equality among two races: “King was one figure in an extraordinary diverse movement that fought in a series of (nonviolent) battles for equality across a broad front”. Like his contemporaries, he sacrificed himself to achieve equality through hard work, although it was not yet fully implemented at that moment. However, Cullen singles out political, civil, and social equality, where the latter two are most tangent to my American dream.

In particular, civil equality implies the possibility for people to be in the public sphere, namely to have access to all types of services. Today it is not always possible since women, gay or disabled people cannot receive the same rights as other people. At the same time, social equality concerns the right of citizens to personal dealings with each other, which is also important given today’s restrictions on migrants. For me, the problem of equality also applies to different cultures, which are often isolated from each other in one region. All in all, King’s celebrated “I Have a Dream” is still relevant to modern society as well as my American Dream because it implies that “one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed”. There is no objective reason to consider anyone better or worse since all people were created equally in terms of their social abilities and activities.

The second connection is close to the cultural construct of liberty, which is most fully implemented in the Declaration of Independence. Everyone has the right to happiness, and because of this, the Fathers of the Declaration have advocated independence and liberty that help a person to realize his goals. In this context, when one realizes certain goals, he or she becomes happy since feels some involvement in God and higher goals. Cullen shows that “the pursuit of happiness” is a concrete category, thus it is not only a subjective vision of things. Following this, everyone in his or her achievement of the American dream is equal, because God created all equal from the beginning. However, Cullen notes that the Fathers literally meant only men, but not women. For me, this is an important moment since the Declaration should not restrict itself to any artificial criteria, but gives the right to choose every person in terms freedom. The problem is also that the means also do not have to be different because people’s competition to the American dream leads to inequality. For example, all Americans want to have their own home, but someone can use illegal methods, and someone can work within the law. Therefore, the Fathers did not only work out this document, but also created the concept of republic as the key element of this cultural construct that would control people in their desire to achieve the American Dream.

At the beginning of democracy, it was indeed a revolutionary idea or theory as well as it was difficult for many aristocrats to accept peasants or other races as equal. However, today it is more of a necessity, because modern America must provide the rights of all without exception, taking into account their freedoms, helping them to achieve happiness. In this sense, the idea of liberty is still important for Americans as a nation, although modern meaning is somewhat different from what it has been declared by Adams, Jefferson, and Washington. The elitist concept of equality and happiness did not always include the simple needs of people, especially slaves, who also had the right to the same activity. Today, the problem is no less important when we talk about emigrants or Indigenous people who do not always have equal conditions for their lives. More to say, Cullen also states that happiness is not always associated with money, although “we Americans often act as if we believe there really isn’t anything money can’t buy”. The advantage of the Declaration of Independence is that there are things out of money and material goods, thus people should care more about them in order to live in peace and harmony.

Progressing further, my concept of the American Dream is similar to Cullen’s vision, because small communities and stakeholders are ideally committed to overcoming poverty and inequality. First, the model of Cullen also emphasizes personal fulfillment, thus a person must not only make money, but also invest his/her talents in a collaborative work. This not only implies responsibility, but also the ability of each person to find his/her work in life. This also shows the difference between the previous version of the American dream and Cullen’s model, while the latter is a form of small settlement, where everyone helps each other to become better. Accordingly, it can be any occupation that will unite people – from creating eco-projects to building shelters for animals.

Second, each American dream has a certain geographic orientation, and this construct is more about the suburb. However, the idea of ​​community and support can also be implemented on the national level since nothing prevents the creation of joint unions for the sake of people. This means that people can implement national projects within their settlements, making the nation better. The most important thing is that small stakeholders can achieve big goals, involving different minorities into a particular social activity. Small stakeholders are also all minorities who have the right to realize themselves as a nation. In this case, the main document is the Homestead Act since it “gave black and loyal white Americans the opportunity to acquire that would not interfere with existing property rights”. Although the act was not achieved at the beginning, it is equally important to the American dream because it forces to unite despite the differences.

Finally, the connection with nature is also significant, which is especially relevant to modern environmental policy (which surprisingly refers to the Puritan’s policy). Americans must return to the idea of harmony with nature, returning a lost balance and order, and it is possible only when they become to live near nature. If Cullen’s model suggests joining people around the idea of family, thus it can be transferred into a social or cultural association, which is perfectly replicated in small settlements. In general, the implementation of close family relations at the national level is the most issue here, which is aimed at cooperation, support, and equality.

The Current Support of Achievements

Contemporary American society mainly helps to realize my dream by offering different strategies. First of all, the problem of tolerance in America has been recognized almost the first in the world, but it is important that the government establishes laws that promote the support of minorities. The state promotes affirmative action policies that help to avoid discrimination in various spheres of life, which include programs in education, public office or employment. Trump’s policy continues Obama’s efforts to make diversity in schools that would overcome racial discrimination in the country. In particular, this applies to the field of education, so the guidelines for changing administration sets were adopted in order to overcome the oppression and discrimination among races.

Also, some states already have the opportunity to make marriages between gay couples, thus it guarantees them the same social rights as other people. Transgender people have recently started to openly serve in the army. For example, the National Center for Transgender Equality has been around for 15 years and provides advice on transgender people. The main task of the center and similar institutes is to integrate such people into society and to prove that they are not deviant or dangerous. The government also promotes greater social support for people with disabilities, creating inclusive programs and scenarios for them. The main thing is that all these communities gradually cease to be marginal, adapting to American society and enriching the nation. It is important that non-governmental organizations also engage in community support as well as a return to the preservation of nature, ethnic heritage, and cultural continuity.

At the same time, Trump’s policy is directed against the ideas of equality, justice, and liberty. The modern government does not always support minorities, restricting them to rights. This is especially noticeable in Trump’s policy against emigrants who forced to leave their home because of poverty or tyranny, but the States do not accept them equally. It is important to remember that America was built by emigrants, and their support is a national task. Instead, people become obsessed with money and their personal goals, taking care only about their interests. In such a value paradigm it is impossible to implement a model of family relations, which involve close cooperation between different people and outlooks. Instead, the authorities should remember the basic principles of the Declaration, which refers to equality and liberty regardless of social status or skin color. The American dream must be built on the basis of solidarity and diversity, preserving the idea of a common good.

Conclusions

In conclusion, my American dream is a synthetic project of ideas of equality, opportunities, and personal fulfillment. My main objective is to overcome inequalities in various areas in order to transfer hard work and money into common projects, in particular within small communities and stakeholders. This is consistent with Cullen’s concept of close family relationships that are more productive and valuable than global ones. In this sense, it is important to preserve labor unions, non-governmental organizations that support the bottom line, overcoming poverty, discrimination, and inequality in such a way. Also, it is better to abolish laws that further increase the national hostility and intolerance. All in all, the state needs to create institutions that help people find their job because it often affects the level of happiness. The state should also rethink its immigrant policy. It is also important to initiate a movement towards the creation of small and poor communes, especially on the outskirts of large cities. I do not know if this is enough, but I know that it will overcome injustice and inequality that prevents people from realizing their American dream.

Tags: American People Multicultural War Stress

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