Research Question: If the American Dream is no longer attainable, why is it still such a central belief in our society?
Our original topic was the wealth gap, or the growing inequality between the rich and poor, as well as the decline of the middle class. This topic has sparked my interest after leaving my hometown and coming to college, which exposed me to a lot of new perspectives on privilege. The roles power and privilege play in success are huge, and researching topics around this issue has really opened my eyes to the inequalities in our society.
Our research question is important because it relates to everyone in some way or another. The idea that with hard work, anyone can rise to the top is engrained in us from a young age, but this is not the reality. This mindset encourages mindsets the blame people in poverty for their circumstances and portrays those at the top as the hardest workers. The truth is, someone could work just as hard as a CEO but never be able to rise out of poverty due to extenuating circumstances. Our hope for this research question is to bring light to this issue and show that wealth is not solely based on hard work, like many believe.
Through this research, I hope to track the progression and decline of the American Dream, but to also examine if it was ever a reality. I also hope to learn how race, gender, and SES play into one’s chances of rising to the top or overcoming poverty.
-Maddie McGregor