"Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement."
- James Truslow Adams
The term "American Dream" was coined by a man named James Truslow Adams, an American writer and historian from the 1930s. He believed that the American dream didn't consist of nice cars and high wages, but of a society where men and women were fully capable, no matter their circumstance, birth or position.
Flash forward to the 1950s, where diners were on every corner and letterman jackets were all the rage. People envisioned the American dream as a two story brick house, a family, a purebred dog and a white picket fence. It was a simple dream that was easily achieved due to the economic boom during that time period. Everyone wanted to own a home, and with the invention of the conveyer belt for the automobile industry, owning a car had never been easier.
Today, the dream has changed in a way that Adams could not have predicted. Living comfortably is a luxury, owning a nice car is a post-retirement goal and family life is drastically different. The American dream has become more of a pipe dream. That doesn't mean it hasn't taken on a different meaning.
The modern American dream may consist of a man and a man living in a flat in New York with an espresso machine. It could be a woman living independently on her own with a paraplegic mutt and nice view. Maybe it is people living freely in a country that gives everyone the opportunity to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A constant from the 1930s until now is the fact that everyone has had and continues to have the chance to achieve their goals and to strive for greatness.
