WHAT IS “THE AMERICAN DREAM” ALL ABOUT?

Defined by the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary as “the belief that America offers the opportunity to everyone of a good and successful life achieved through hard work,” the American Dream is the poetic end goal behind the concept of the “self-made man.”

As such, people seeking better opportunities beyond biological, social, or economic limitations are drawn to the ethos behind the hardworking, ambitious American Dream logic. In fact, there is a big possibility this might be the reason behind your arrival to the United States.

But, what lies behind the American Dream aspiration and reality? The answer lies in two significant aspects of American culture.

First is the importance given to individual aspirations since American families tend to support their children’s dreams, desires, and goals and stimulate their independence from the group. This, in turn, encourages young adults to detach themselves from family ties and grow independently.

In second place, the American Dream is possible because American society tends to focus on results and achievements rather than background, behavior, or ancestry. As such, people’s value to society, importance, and eventual success are more directly related to their job and accomplishments than any other societal variable.

In short, the American Dream exists because the United States encourages individual productivity rather than a group-focused sense of belonging limited by the past or societal norms.

So although overwhelming riches may not await everyone down the road, it is undeniable that the U.S. pays more importance to what you can do to improve their society within the foreseeable future—that is the core of the American Dream.

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