The United States, since the American Revolution has been recognized as a land full of opportunity and hope. America’s founders envisioned the country as a land of hope and opportunity, with a democratic government that allowed for social mobility. The American Dream became the belief of anyone who is determined enough to achieve their goal, regardless if they have a good or bad situation. American Dream has been a fundamental part of American society and culture for many years. However, its validity needs to be determined. I will analyze the American Dream using historical perspectives to determine its role today. The American Dream, despite being illusory, has become a part of American culture and national thought. Its pervasiveness into modern American society justifies its continued existence in the 21stcentury. This paper will highlight the need for new ideas if America is going to keep growing.
The American Dream was a dominant principle in society during the 19th century. It became popularized by the expansionists and the Manifest Destiny movement. The myth was simple: Work hard and you will achieve greatness. Idealistic and hopeful, the myth inspired young America. Bruno Bettelheim explained that “the main and hardest task in raising children is to assist them in finding meaning in life” (3). It was this conflict, in essence, that led the young generation to adopt the national ideology. Horatio ALGER, the author who wrote children’s stories in the middle of the nineteenth century and spread the American Dream throughout popular culture, is a great example of this. Alger introduced the American myth, claiming that anyone was capable of moving from rags into riches. Alger provided a formula for the American Dream that is similar to Joseph Campbell’s monomyth formula. Campbell’s monomyth formula is composed of three steps: “a seclusion from the outside world, penetration into a source for power, and an enlightening return” (35). Alger’s plot often depicted an impoverished boy who separated himself from the world and adopted a new work ethic. He then achieved a better status. Alger’s story circulated through America at an important time in the nation’s history. It offered a logical approach to social problems, as well as a promising outcome. Alger was a major influence on American philosophy.
Joseph Campbell claims in The Hero with a Thousand Faces that the modern world no longer uses myths to deal with its problems. I disagree. Too much reliance on American myths has slowed down the advancement of the society. Campbell’s formula includes “the stage where trials and triumphs are achieved” (36). In the formula of Campbell, “the stage of trials and victories” (36) is described. As a result, the modern world is reluctant to abandon the American Dream. This causes “the reintegration and return with society” to be delayed (Campbell 35). The American Dream is the only way society can improve the current status quo. The American Dream has lost its hope but society still holds on to it because of how deeply ingrained this philosophy is in the social fabric.
This failure to change a popularized value is described by Lewis Corey as “cultural lag”. Yet, society has a difficult time changing its attitudes towards the myth. Lewis Corey refers to this as “cultural lag”. According to him, “ideals could persist …. after the material conditions that gave rise to them are gone.” Tipple 268. The American Dream is alive in the minds of many people because it has been around for so long. They don’t know whether they should believe the myth or reality.
The power of myth is to blind those who believe it from reality. The believer who holds on to a myth is trapped in a hopeless struggle. Joe Holland, in The American Journey A Theology in the Americas, explains that social myths function in a complicated and indirect rationalization system. Trust in the American Myth perpetuates disillusionment by influencing the way believers perceive society. The myth is false, but America refuses to acknowledge it.
The American Dream is not as promising as the American Dream has been projected by the public. From the American Revolution up to today, the history of the United States is filled with examples of class struggles, racial discrimination, and limited social mobility. The Civil War era, the Progressive Era, and 1960s all highlight the reality of minority groups.
Key historical examples, such as the period before and during the Great Depression of America in the 1920s-1930s, reveal the disparity between American myth’s promises and conditions. John Tipple’s Crisis of the American Dream describes the carefree spirit of the people of the roaring 20s. They believed “man can realize his greatest aspirations in abundance” (13). The naivety as well as the optimism of Americans reflects how the American Dream myth dominated our culture at the height of perceived prosperity. The sudden crash of the stock exchange, however, undermined the myth.
Alger’s Myth is not based on reality. The old American Dream no longer fosters social advancement and Alger’s man of rags is hard to find today. Our country is no longer in its adolescent phase. America is now faced with the most difficult of rites[2] to complete: giving up an old belief system and rebirthing through a faith in a different philosophy. It is the responsibility of modern society to move away from old myths and embrace a different philosophy in order “to stop the unremitting cycle of death”. America will not be able to continue its upward trajectory unless it adopts a different ideal.
