The American Dream is a central part of the American society and affects everyone in the world, therefore it is important for people to know the true meaning and consequences of the American Dream. I have always been intrigued by the American Dream because it the core of American society which has impacted people throughout the world. The American dream is a philosophical goal intended to inspire people to pursue their dreams, which will lead them to success and happiness. But what many people don’t acknowledge is how the American Dream negatively affects the wealth gap in America. The American wealth gap refers to the imbalanced circulation of money where a small percentage of people control the majority of the money in our economy, which in turn causes the wealth gap. The wealth gap in America has always been present, but it has become increasingly prevalent and alarming. The wealth gap touches every American, both rich and poor. As a wealthy American, it is likely that you were given greater opportunity and privilege, which provided a greater chance to obtain the American Dream. Conversely, a poor American typically doesn’t have all the privileges of the wealthy, which impedes achievement of the American Dream. America is a class society in which the wealthy control the power, which in turn provides the opportunity to advance themselves. This power, if left unchecked, can cause problems for the nation because it permits the wealthy to control decisions and change that may benefit the wealthy, while ignoring, and even hurting, the poor. This uncontrolled power is very frightening for our nation because a small percentage of the population determines what is best while everyone else is left to suffer. The American Dream while an admirable concept intended to inspire the masses actually only allows for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer.
The affect of the American Dream on the wealth gap has been a topic of concern for many years, but it became most evident to me when I first started college. I saw so many different people from so many different ethnic and economic backgrounds. What I know is that the American Dream tends to benefit affluent American’s the most because their wealth provides the opportunity and resources to make their dreams a reality. When the wealthy succeed, the wealth gap grows and this cycle tends to continue throughout a wealthy families’ lineage.
The puzzling thing about the American Dream is that so many people continue to believe in it as a positive motivator when it has been proven time after time that it is attainable for only a few. Maybe its because alternative economic philosophies have had even less success than the American Dream. I think once I begin to dig deeper in to the American Dream, I will find that underprivileged people have hope and believe in the credo that if you work hard, you will be successful. Unfortunately, the discouraging truth is likely that without resources and privilege, the average person probably won’t succeed in America.
-Micaela Gotfredson