I seldom wonder what it was like for my ancestors coming to America and envisioning what their lives would be like. The vision of working hard and being rewarded with a home, hot meals, heat, running water and all of life's necessities. However, I have learned that for them the American dream had to first start with overcoming the American's preconceived notion of what kind of people we were.
Irish immigrants were assumed to be drunks, unintelligent and not the most dependable workers. They were often turned down for jobs based strictly on their nationality. They had potatoes thrown at them, because it was assumed that they were poor and the only thing that they could make was stew. The Irish were known for being skilled workers. Capable of building a home, doing electrical work, agricultural work and even being able to throw a good right hook. Not all of the Irish were equipped to do all of these, but they had the dream of one day being able to accomplish one these or one of the many other luxurious jobs that they could attain in America.
How can one become successful if they are not given an opportunity to prove themselves? It's like the commercials state "I can't get a job because I don't have the training, I don't have the training cause I can't get a job". Unless you are fortunate enough to have a job handed to you, chances are more likely than not going to be that you will struggle to work up the ladder and to be able to attain financial freedom.
However there is also the flipside of the American dream. Saving your money, not squandering away money on things that aren't necessities. Many of us are guilty of receiving our tax rebate and spending that money on a vacation, a new car, new furniture or something that could most likely wait for us to "have the money". However, isn't the American dream that reason why we have the luxury or the choice of being able to do just that? Perhaps a new car is necessary as your other car is not functioning properly which then makes you have to lose hours at work which ultimately could cost you your job.
I believe the American dream is still alive and that we are able to make that dream a reality. Moreover, I believe every one of us is entitled to our dream and just because others aren't trying to play keep up with Jones' with you doesn't mean that they don't envy what you have attained in your American dream. Every day I wake up and count my blessings that I have one more day on this earth to make an impact on people's lives, including my family, friends and especially my children. That is MY American dream.
My parents came from China, and they sometimes tell me stories about how hard life was in China. Personally, I'm grateful to have grown up in America. It's harder to be accepted by others, especially in school, because I'm Asian and not white, but it's an easy thing to deal with when compared to going through what my parents did in China.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of a pessimist when it comes to most things, including the American Dream. However, I can understand your viewpoint as well. I like that you have your own personal idea of the American Dream, as in you can spend more time with your family and friends. It's a good and reasonable dream to have. However, some people can have American Dreams that are unreasonable, and in some cases, unreachable.
Tried using the edit button, no luck:
ReplyDeleteI often wonder what it was like for my ancestors coming to America and envisioning what their lives would be like. Having the vision of working hard and being rewarded with a home; hot meals; heat; running water; and all of life's necessities. However, I have learned that for them the American dream had to first start with overcoming the American's preconceived notion of what kind of people we were.
Irish immigrants were assumed to be drunks, unintelligent and not the most dependable workers. They were often turned down for jobs based strictly on their nationality. They had potatoes thrown at them, because it was assumed that they were poor and the only thing that they could make was stew. The Irish were known for being skilled workers. Capable of building a home, doing electrical work, agricultural work and even being able to throw a good right hook. Not all of the Irish were equipped to do all of these, but they had the dream of one day being able to accomplish one these or one of the many other luxurious jobs that they could attain in America.
How can one become successful if they are not given an opportunity to prove themselves? It's like the commercials state "I can't get a job because I don't have the training, I don't have the training cause I can't get a job". Unless you are fortunate enough to have a job handed to you, chances are more likely than not going to be that you will struggle to work up the ladder and to be able to attain financial freedom.
However there is also the flipside of the American dream. Saving your money, not squandering away money on things that aren't necessities. Many of us are guilty of receiving our tax rebate and spending that money on a vacation, a new car, new furniture or something that could most likely wait for us to "have the money". However, isn't the American Dream that reason why we have the luxury or the choice of being able to do just that? Perhaps a new car is necessary as your other car is not functioning properly which then makes you have to lose hours at work which ultimately could cost you your job.
I believe the American dream is still alive and that we are able to make that dream a reality. Moreover, I believe every one of us is entitled to our dream and just because others aren't trying to play keep up with Jones' with you doesn't mean that they don't envy what you have attained in your American dream. Every day I wake up and count my blessings that I have one more day on this earth to make an impact on people's lives, including my family, friends and especially my children. That is MY American dream.