Is the 'American Dream' realistic or idealistic?

[Takes Two To Tango]

No less an authority than the Oxford English Dictionary defines the American dream as “the ideal that every citizen of the United States should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.”

Thoughts?

 

[ThaiSexPills]

It was once very realistic but the elite used our government to pillage wealth from the middle class so everybody is poorer now and it’s harder.

 

[Berserker13]

pretending like something is real when it isn't is called being schizo

 

[Rhood]

Not realistic

 

[Berserker13]

Not realistic

Only for the boomers

 

[Beechwood]

I think it is more difficult these days due to our over regulated economy. Glad that Trump is working to cut unnecessary regulation. That should help.

JUST IN: President Trump Signs Executive Order Requiring Agencies to Eliminate TEN Existing Regulations for Every New Regulation Issued​

JUST IN: President Trump Signs Executive Order Requiring Agencies to Eliminate TEN Existing Regulations for Every New Regulation Issued | The Gateway Pundit | by Jordan Conradson

In a bold move to curb federal overreach, President Trump’s latest Executive Order mandates a significant reduction in regulations, aiming to foster economic growth and alleviate burdens on American businesses.

www.thegatewaypundit.com

 

[Cherry Brigand]

pretending like something is real when it isn't is called being schizo

you are a one hit wonder ain't ya.

 

[Cherry Brigand]

It's still very much achievable. If people fresh off the boat can still come to America and reach it, then there's no reason why homegrown Americans can't.

 

[Berserker13]

you are a one hit wonder ain't ya.

You are obsessive aren't ya?

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

No less an authority than the Oxford English Dictionary defines the American dream as “the ideal that every citizen of the United States should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.”

Thoughts?

My feeling is that it‘s not unrealistic but it‘s also idealistic. USA is a very unforgiving society where people in precarious situations can get their lives ruined if they have health problems or get fired. It s also a corporate fuckhole where the private sector has disproportionate powers.

So while it s always possible to climb to the top when at the bottom, USA is a particularly harsh place for its bottom third.

 

[tgv976]

Yeah it's pretty much bullshit. I guess for people that dream of consumerism this place looks great, but over time, the standards of living decline for us all as long as bankers and corps set the rules of the game. And their power keeps growing. Work till you drop and enjoy your toys in the meantime.

 

[VulcanNervPinch]

I think it is more difficult these days due to our over regulated economy. Glad that Trump is working to cut unnecessary regulation. That should help.

Yeah, regulations are what's keeping people from achieving the American Dream.

If we could just trash some regulations - for example, let corporations

dump more pollution without consequence
make employees work longer hours in less safe environments
form more monopolies, increasing their power and reducing consumer choice
stop government inspecting or requiring inspections for the safety of their product

that should help everyone live happier more prosperous lives.

 

[Oblivian]

I'm probably biased here, but I think owning your own business is the only clear path to achieve most of those.

 

[VulcanNervPinch]

Since approximately 1980 (when Reagan sold suckers on the idea of "trickle down economics") wealth gains aren't being shared equally any more - they go extremely heavily to the rich.

 

[VulcanNervPinch]

Here's a quick metric.

The Gini Coefficient is a standard economic measure that tells you how spread out or concentrated the wealth is in a country.

Gini coefficient—Summarizes income distribution. It uses a scale from 0 to 1. Zero represents perfect equality (everyone having the same income), while 1 represents perfect inequality (one person receiving all the income). (Index scores are commonly multiplied by 100)




Gini (unequal wealth distribution) has been rising nonstop for 50+ years


The Gini for the U.S. is also higher than in many other countries. For example, this analysis from the Pew Research Center shows that “the U.S. has one of the most unequal income distributions in the developed world, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development — even after taxes and social-welfare policies are taken into account.”

 

[TJ Dillashank]

It used to be realistic... Not any more though.

 

[Prutfis]

The American dream is about social mobility and the US ranks pretty low in that regard.

 

[lowlife]

maybe trump can sign an executive order to bring back the "American dream" of the 1950's.

 

[Satur9]

Sure, it’s realistic because it CAN happen, but it’s rare. Overall, though, it’s pretty idealistic to think things still happen at the same rate they did 50+ years ago, or that it takes the same amount of effort to get there.

Whether you're talking about career advancement, home ownership, education ROI, or societal mobility, today often demands more effort for less guaranteed reward. It's not that success is impossible, it’s that the path to it is more complex and unevenly accessible.

 

[Siver!]

The American dream is about social mobility and the US ranks pretty low in that regard.

Wasn't it also based on "go to America and find prosperity"?

Lot of people who made it in are now trying to kill that dream for others while never having achieved prosperity themselves.

The guy who wrote a book about it in the 1930s can now confidently say almost a hundred years later his vision of the American Dream is dead.