Ah, yes. The American Dream. Imagine a happy, smiling mother and father with their 2.5 kids and a dog, sitting inside their nice house sheltered by a nice, clean, white picket fence.
By definition, the American Dream means:
“Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement regardless of social class or circumstances of birth.”
The American Dream’s foundation lies in the Declaration of Independence, which says that:
“All men are created equal with the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
But as we all know, this document was written by Thomas Jefferson, the same dude that personally owned over 200 slaves, and is publicly known to have raped and bred his female slaves.
The American Dream is just that -- a dream. It's a set of goals and expectations set before each American even though they are not nearly as obtainable as they are made out to be.
Why, you ask?
The issues begin with the very definition of the American Dream. “Regardless of social class or circumstances of birth." Excuse me? Let us not forget that as of 2014, the overall poverty rate is about 15 percent. About 20 percent of that includes those of Latin descent, about 30 percent are African American, about 30 include Native Americans, about 15 percent identify as transgender, and about 30 percent include those with disabilities. Also see the 80-cent gender wage gap
Seeing as America was founded on the wealth that is attached to owning property, those of us who do not and cannot afford to do so are left out. Just in case y’all forgot: Black people fell under the category of property in the Constitution until 1865.
America only cares about poor people once you’re done being poor. The United States spends less on social programs than other first-world countries, but has a relative poverty rate almost twice as high as those nations, including a child poverty rate of more than twice as high. Most articles you read about individuals regarding poverty, however, are only done once they have beat the odds and made themselves successful, adding data to the played-out idea of “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps."
As most of us know, an unreasonable amount of pressure has been put on higher education. Years ago, a degree could guarantee you a job. Currently, the unemployment rate is about 5.5 percent, which is comparatively low. However, about 44 percent of recent college grads are still stuck in their low wage jobs, happily clutching their degrees and trying to ignore the ever looming debt.
In short, the American Dream is a sham. Some argue that society has groomed us to argue against Jefferson’s manifesto, which has led us to be lazy. Some argue that you can get by with being straight, cisgender, white and male. While those traits undoubtedly help, we live in a society that has been founded on both oppression and capitalism. If you start at the bottom, you have to fight to crawl up the rungs even the slightest.
Obviously we can, and should, make the absolute best out of our situation. Take a hold of your life and control what you can, but don’t let anyone make you feel any less than them for being in a different spot on an uneven playing field.
