What is Dead: The American Dream or The American Dreamer
" The road to
success is not easy to navigate, but with hard work, drive and passion,
it's possible to
achieve the American Dream."
- Tommy Hilfiger
American
Fashion Designer
I have heard
on the news many times of late that the great American Dream is dead. The first question I think is, what do they
define as the American Dream? Is it
owning your own home? Is it family, a
good job, good income or maybe living is safety and peace? All those things are nice and worthy to work
for, but they are not really the American Dream.
In 1931, historian and author James Truslow Adams presented the definition
of the American Dream in his book Epic of America, in which he said, "But there has been also the American
dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and
fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or
achievement. ... but a dream of social
order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest
stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for
what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or
position."
The dream that America has offered in the past, and offers still,
is for each person to become all they were created to be. To do their best, fulfill their dreams and
become extraordinary. That dream has not
dies and stands as firm today as it ever has.
What seems to be dying is the dreamer, not the dream.
To achieve the American dream one must be willing to work hard, be
independent and self-sufficient. What we
have today is far too many American's who do not want to work at all, let alone
hard and believe that they are owed a living.
To think that it is a human right to be supported, fed, clothed and
given all the comforts they can find, is not only foolish but disastrous.
What we need is not to restore the American dream, we never lost
it, but to restore the American dreamer.
We are in desperate need of success-minded people who believe in their
potential, the possibility to become all they can become and a desire to
achieve their dreams in spite of all difficulties they may find. Those success-minded people who believe they
must do their best, have good manners, love God, discover the unknown and
change their world.
You who are reading this are that person. The world, and America, needs you. Be all you can be. Never allow anything or anyone to steal your
dream or bring you down. Be bold and
have courage to step out and achieve your dreams. Work hard and do what it takes to develop the
skills and abilities needed to be the best at what you do. You are the hope of tomorrow and the one who
will make the world better.
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