Everybody dreams of living the American dream. It is a life of prosperity and freedom, where your rights are respected, and success, fame, and money are within your reach— a life of decency where equal opportunity and equality awaits you. The American dream seems easy to attain with hard work and perseverance as long as you have the skills, ability, or achievement, in spite of what social class you belong to or circumstances you are born with.
The Influence Of American Dream
The idea of the reality of the American dream is explored in American literature (The Great Gatsby and the famous The Adventure Of Huckleberry Finn) and filmography (The Hunger Games). Many influential people used the concept of the American dream to address issues on politics, economics, and society overall. Even Martin Luther King, Jr., talks about this American dream in one of his letters.
Every Family Deserve A Chance
Decades back, people from all around the world wanted to come to America in pursuit of this American dream, my parents included. They were influenced by their friends and relatives who had migrated to America. With their stories, my parents wanted the same life for us – beautiful, easy, and comfortable life.
My father was a tailor back in our small town. He first came to America in the 70s and was able to establish his career as a tailor, and then later became a shop owner. He was able to provide for us well, and after years of waiting, was able to buy his own house, and brought our whole family to the U.S.
But That Does Not Seem To Be The Case Anymore
My three siblings and I were able to finish college, and they started building a family of their own. My two brothers and I were renting a place. My sister and her family stay in the same house my father bought.
Years have passed, and life was no longer like before. It’s the same hard work but seems nothing much compared to what we had when we were younger. With the high mortgage, owning our a home is near to impossible for a middle-class family like ours.
It was not just our family (immigrants) who are struggling to survive here in the land of dreams. Even my friends whose ancestors have lived in this country all their lives are in crisis. Some friends I know have left the country to go back to their homeland.
Firefighters And Teachers
Firefighters and teachers, the noblest jobs I know since I was a kid, according to report can once afford to raise a family comfortably and have a house of their own. But with their salary now, they can no longer afford that. They need to find other part-time jobs just to make both ends meet.
Maintaining health insurance is even harder, that others just leave their health to chance. They need to spend on what’s more important, and that is to have food on the table every day and their children’s education. The children’s education and college insurance must come first to assure that they’ll have a better future.
Education AndThe Realization Of Your American Dream
How can you live your dream when you can’t even afford to bring your kid to McDonald’s once a month? And if ever you did, you end up feeling guilty about it. That’s now the reality of some middle-class life in America.
Back in the 70s, you can decently provide for your family’s need even without education, as long as you have some skills and the perseverance, your hard work will pay off.
But that is not the case anymore these days. It is a necessity to finish a degree to find a high-paying job. Globalization allows graduates of other countries to compete with the American dream. Eligibility in terms of skills combined with new knowledge counts.
Many parents nowadays are coming back to studying. They try hard to work two to three jobs, and still continue their study by enrolling on an online course. They want to finish their degree hoping for that better life.
They believe that their degree can turn them into this new human being— a person with confidence, tolerance, ability, and optimism who has the capability to compete and take on that elusive American dream.