The American Dream from a European point of view is that one can come out of a low social class and go into any class one desires. Meaning, a person born into a poor, uneducated family can become a millionaire with an education in a good University. A person is even able to obtain the Presidency of the United States without a formal education like President Jackson and President Lincoln.
The dream constitutes an ideal of notions that as long as one works hard and is diligent one will be able to obtain anything - nothing will stand in the way. The Puritan philosophy was if one followed the Commandments’ of God and followed the community these tenants of faith would enhance one’s life and God would therefore shine upon that family and give them the ability to reach fortune and happiness.
Today the American Dream has become distorted; the Dream has become materialistic to an idealistic society - where the American people value homes, cars, and what type of phones, computers, and IPods they carry instead of their integrity. Their credit cards are more important than their families and they spend more time with gadgets then quality time with friends.
The government, churches, and academia, are all desperately attempting to have humanity realize where the true value of the beauty of life lies. However, this will be a great task. Economics has taken its toll of the American Dream. Capitalists did not take into account the drastic effect it would have on humanity and the environment. It will take a miracle of miracles to bring back the original American Dream back of humanity is created equal, life liberty, and justice. These were the original ideas of John Locke’s theory of life and Plato’s thoughts on the Beauties.
