Rereading America The Myth of Individual Opportunity

Re-Reading America: The Myth of Individual Opportunity What is the American dream? The traditional American dream is one in which someone can start from nothing and build themselves up into a great success, with all the material trappings that go with that success. So, if the American dream is self-built success, then what defines success? In the American dream, success is largely defined by the possession of certain material goods and money. You are considered a success in America if you have enough money to be comfortable financially (i.e., paying all of your bills and having plenty left over for entertainment and material goods), and if you have possession of a nice house in the suburbs, a nice car or two, a pretty and well-dressed family, and the respect and even awe of your community. That is the American dream and the success that defines it. The American dream is large in the minds of the American public, and indeed, of people around the world. It has taken on somewhat of a li fe of its own, and its clear, powerful call has brought people from around the world to the shores of the United States for more than a century, each of them hoping to capture a little bit of the American dream for themselves. While some have (there are famous immigrants in history who have come to America with nothing and created ridiculously successful financial empires that even continue today), most have found that the proverbial American dream is far more myth than reality (BambaraShow MoreRelatedIntroduction to Rereading America901 Words   |  4 Pages Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle in their book â€Å"Rereading America† feel that commencing college is a very disturbing experience. So many things we have to deal while starting college, but the major challenges are expanded difficulty levels and higher expectation which we are not familiar over the years of high school. In order to solve this issue, we have to remodel ourselves by taking up the challenge and rethink about our strength and flaws. To succeed in college we need toRead MoreMyths: Education and Family1664 Words   |  7 PagesInterpreting and understanding myths depend on an individual’s personal views, beliefs, and ideas. With that in mind, the myth regarding the nuclear family and the myth of education and empowerment are all interpreted differently and argued, for and against, in many ways. Both have been perceived negatively by society, yet they have not always been a harmful folktale. Rather, the myth that education can improve someone’s life has been used, year after year, to motivate the youth in order to improveRead MoreThe Myth of the Melting Pot1454 Words   |  6 PagesSeptember 2013 Myths of the Melting Pot Modern America is considered to be a melting pot, in which a variety of races, cultures, or individuals gather into a unified whole. The ideas of being a new American for people who have migrated from their homeland to America are to leave behind all their past cultures and practices and embrace their new American ways. Is that what really happens? If it was, would there be still racism in America? The number of people immigrating to America has risen overRead MoreEssay on Prejudice Destroyed the American Dream1008 Words   |  5 Pages Years ago, the United States of America was the prime example of prosperity and opportunity. In recent years, in the worst recession since the Great Depression, unemployment and interest rates have skyrocketed. The â€Å"American Dream† is an idea that was once a commonly accepted ideology in this country. It has since become only a fallacy. The â€Å"American Dream† is no longer an attainable idea, only a fantasy. The â€Å"American Dream† is not a true dream that will ever be equally attainable by everyone. Read MoreThe Myth of Individualism1209 Words   |  5 PagesThe Myth of Individualism America is famous for the reputation of being the land of opportunity, and for generations immigrants have fled to the United States to experience the freedom and equality our government lays claim to. The fundamental of this reputation is the American Dream, the belief that life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each by hard working regardless of social class or circumstances of birth(by James Truslow Adams). The American DreamRead MoreSteps to Becoming a Critical Thinker in the Textbook, Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths848 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to the â€Å"Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths† preface to the textbook ninth edition Rereading America is written by Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, is edited by Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle published in 2008. It introduces how to become a critical reader, and it challenges us to think critically. To understand well what critical thi nking is, the introduction divides into different sections to comprehend how to be a critical thinker steps by steps. The author providesRead More Racial Struggle in America Essay2197 Words   |  9 PagesRacial Struggle in America Yes East and West and North and South, the Palm and the pine, the pole and the equator, the crescent and the cross - how the great Alchemist melts and fuses them with his purging flame! Here shall they all unite to build the Republic of Man and the Kingdom of God. (Rereading America 535) The myth of the melting pot, similarly to The American Dream [i] , brings a lot of immigrants to America hoping to find equality, freedom and opportunity. The promise ofRead MoreSocial Class vs Educational Success1099 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween social class and educational success truly acknowledged in America?   When Mantsios, in â€Å"Class in America,† asks, the question, â€Å"Which of these gifts might a high school graduate in your family receive, a corsage, a savings bond or a BMW† (304), he makes the point that definite socio-economic separations exist in our society. This separation has a direct effect on our educational success. He proves this by presenting myths and facts about the United States social classes. One study concludesRead MoreThe Myth of Money and Success and That of Gender Essay1843 Words   |  8 PagesThe Myth of Money and Success and that of gender â€Å"The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that is not working. To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds† —William James, an American philosopher and psychologist For a long time, the popular myth of success and that of gender have shapedRead MoreThe Myth of the American Dream Essay2137 Words   |  9 PagesAmerica historically owns the reputation of being the land of opportunity, and for generations immigrants have fled to the United States to experience the freedom and equality our government lays claim to. At the root of this reputation is the American Dream, the belief that with hard work anyone can succeed based solely on his or her merits. While definitions of success vary, the American Dream defines it as the ability to become a self-made man, thereby rising to a more-than-comfortable state