The concept of "The American Dream" has been around for some time now but what does it really mean? I can't answer that for you but I can answer it for myself. My version of the American dream is this. I have been born in the country that may be the most free that ever existed in the history of this world. I am able to live where I want and if I don't like it I have a better than fair chance to move where I would like. I had the chance to get as much education as I wanted in the area I wanted. I was able to marry who I wanted where I wanted. I live where I want to, I have as many children as I want, I come and go where I want. I can express my opinion with out worrying that I will be thrown in jail or shot. I am free to be as ambitious or as lazy as I feel and if I don't have as much money as I think I should have it's because I choose not to work harder. I have four cars and two of them work and I can fix the other two if I have the means to do it. I can listen to the radio station I choose (even though the Country stations come in clearer). The only things holding me back are the freedoms I have allowed to be taken away from me and my own natural abilities and efforts. If I fail I should be allowed to suffer the consequences, if I succeed I should be allowed to keep the fruits of that success. Granted many of the freedoms I enjoyed as a kid have been limited or taken and to an extent that is my own fault and the fault of my fellow countrymen.
In short the American dream for me is that I have choice; the choice to succeed or fail, worship God or curse Him, move or stay, work or starve, follow or lead, keep my freedoms or sell them for false security.
The American dream for me is not a new car, a Mcmansion or fame. It is freedom!
I want the American dream.
4 comments:
You said it! I want to keep on living the American dream, and I want my kids and grands to be able to do the same.
There is already significant erosion of that dream. We owe it to those that will follow to return it to what it should be.
Me too! I have a hard time with things, especially in the making a living department and the being social department. Also the being confident in myself department.
Isn't America wonderful?!!
That is exactly right. Our Founding Fathers personied the American Dream in the Declaration of Independance when they said,"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creater with certain unalienable Rights, that amoung these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". Freedom is definatly the American Dream.
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