The American Dream, and what it's become -part 2

James Truslow Adams back in 1931 said "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement", and has been tagged with being the first to express 'The American Dream'. This idea may be as significant in our country's history as the United States Declaration of Independence. Every person in the world now has a perspective and opinion on what the American Dream means to them. To be here in America, chasing that "dream" is a bit different from the days that this "dream" was born! J T Adams wrote a book Epic of America, back in 1931 from which the phrase "American Dream" was born. Adams says in his book "it is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." In our Declaration of Independence there's a section stating "....that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. " Is there a relation between these unalienable rights and the American Dream? I believe so. In essence the American Dream goes hand in hand with the United States Declaration of Independence. The American Dream may be personified, or personalized by each of us but it's foundation would always remain. It is the root of tree each of us water's, a branch of it we become. This is a tree like any other, its life depends upon the elements.

Quite the interesting video. Open to interpretation it is, but for good reason. The history of our country is open to the same interpretation. Our American Dream, what was it really? What is it now? Is it just a "dream"? Interpret it as you may, only if you wish to expose your true character, your heart, your soul, and your attitude towards life! Before you answer any of these questions look deep into who you were, who you are, and who you honestly wish to be. Make sure you answer these questions as though the whole wide world will see.

In the video above what is it you see? Is it even close to your idea of what the "American Dream" should be? Mmmmm! Victory? The main ingredient behind the success of the dream. Interesting to say the least. This country was born of war. This land was gained through war. The United States has been fed from wars, grown from wars, lives on wars. These states of ours survived economically because of wars. Where would we be without them? Would there be the "American Dream" without them? Take a peek back in time, hopping from the history of each war to the next. Do not look at the war itself, rather look at what made the happening of war possible. The "items" we must manufacture for war, the sacrifices families of the soldiers must commit to during war, the way our country has always "united" during a war. From the basics to the bombs every one of us has benefited from them. Sounds a bit controversial I'm sure. Food production rises to feed our hero soldiers, manufacturing weapons and such puts those out of work to work, newspapers print the stories, children are taught of the stories in schools, the mothers leave home to sew uniforms, the banks lend the monies to open the businesses that produce the goods needed for victory. Every war is the same. Our country gained financially during all the wars. When there is no war here we produce for the wars abroad, and we produce for the wars we have nothing to do with. We keep the dream alive. War has watered the tree. I could go into depth on how all this makes sense to me. How war is intertwined with our American Dreams, but it would make no difference how I explained it if we are not willing to see it! War is not the whole of it of course, but like I've said just a major ingredient. The dream would not taste the same without it!

Sometimes when the idea of the American Dream gets mentioned a person may respond with "Wake Up! That's all it is, its a "Dream". To me that says quite a bit of that persons character. I can find a few categories this dream I speak so much of can be broken down in to.

- One's pursuit for material possessions - when one works and works and works for the best of the best. The status symbols, the house on the hill, the fancy sports car in a four car garage, the in house movie theatre, the yacht to sail the seas, etc.

-One's pursuit for a simple life - when one works at something they enjoy, to provide for their families, have a garden to tend in the yard, and be content with the basics, leaving time to enjoy themselves and loved ones, as well as activities of choice.

-One's pursuit to survive - when the working poor work the least beneficial of jobs, sometimes two or more, to feed and put clothes on their children. They feel and seem to be stuck in a day to day rut. They are products of their environment, opportunity is not as plentiful to them. They are often limited on choices, their education is not of par, they have often faced misfortune throughout their family's generations.

-Each of these categories I've chosen can be divided into sub-sections of multiple choosing. I wish to keep my point as simple and general as I can, for now!

The American Dream is different for each of us in it's own way, more so according to which of the above categories you might find yourself in. The way you analyze the your dream I would imagine might change if say you were born in poverty and was fortunate to rise into wealth. Likewise it would be if the opposite were true! This in a way may pervert the idea of the American Dream. More so I believe if you are born into wealth, the dream then may just become greed. What is the mask you wear, what is the version of the Great American Dream that lays behind it?

This country, our great United States of America, is a land governed by the people, of the people, and for the people or some variation of that idea, right? Sure. The powerful wealthy love that we believe that. They wouldn't have the power and wealth if we didn't, right. I wonder how they became so wealthy, and so fast? Our country is young, very young. How and where did our great wealth and power come from? The American Dream my friends! Doesn't it seem as of late that the American Dream isn't what it once was. It isn't what it used to be. Maybe the wealthy and powerful of today just don't want to share the dream with the rest of us, could it be that greed has got the better of them? Could it be it has had them for some time now, but they keep the real dream for themselves by "masking" our American Dream. All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights....... The dream i keep speaking of is an unalienable right. Let us not abandon it!

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for ALL!"

.....................................to be continued!

I refuse to believe the American Dream Will Ever Gone!