Challenging the American Dream

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Challenging the American Dream

Introduction

Following the end of the Second World War, the US was the best place to be in terms of getting the best education, the best jobs, and a haven for peace and stability. This meant that it was the best place to have a family and raise children given the fact that there were no racial extremities witnessed in Europe during the Second World War. Today, however, things have changed; people have problems starting families and supporting each other within the family while still pursuing the American Dream. The long working hours for both the men and women alike means that raising children and teaching them of the American Dream is just but a dream. Children are growing up with no idea of what the dream is. This raises the fundamental question of whether the American dream is dead or alive; if dead, can it be saved or revived, and if not what challenges are associated with trying to achieve it? The American Dream, at least for more than two-thirds of Americans is somewhat dead and has become harder to achieve, more so because of poor education quality, economy, and financial security for young families.

Background

According to David Francis, (2012), since the end of the Second World War, America has been the place that people would wish to raise their families, get jobs, good education, express themselves freely regardless of their social background. This was the idea of the American Dream, which envisioned a nation in which people could achieve success through hard work; it has given hope to the underprivileged, and has over the years been the reason for people coming to America from all over the world.

Based on a research dubbed the Economic Mobility Project commissioned and done by Sawhill and Morton of the Pew Charitable Trusts, than three in every five Americans today feel that they are not leaving the American Dream; more than half argue that they may never attain the American Dream,...