Facing Up The American Dream.

The American Dream has presented numerous ideas which require keen observation. The main aim of the dream was the way towards success. During the time it was created many people had the desire of success, hence the need to develop ways of achieving the dream. Therefore, individuals had to deviate from the norms so that they would be able to attain. Despite failing at some point, the dream presents ideas of freedom, chances for everybody, and beliefs in success. It also focuses on individual rather than a community in achieving success.

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I disagree with the author due to the focus on an individual rather than a community in achieving success. Individuals may use illegal methods in achieving success (Hochschild 19). The beliefs in success present the aspirations of the dream. Success by definition is the accomplishment of one's wishes. It can be possession of materialistic things as President Reagan puts it or having high income, job or even vehicles. In general, success is the improvement of individual's or society's status quo (Hochschild 18). One should lay down his/her vision on the means of attaining success.

Furthermore, according to the dream, it is believed that for success to be realized, strategies should be laid down. According to the American dream, there are four tenets of success that play a significant role (Hochschild 24). The four principles gives different ways which lead to success. In the first tenet, every person has been permitted to achieve success. In such, every person has an equal opportunity to success.

The dream presents ideas of freedom, chances for everybody, and beliefs in success. People from various races, gender and religion, have all been considered hence gender discrimination omitted. In the second tenet, the focus has been given to tools to be used to achieve success (Hochschild 28). In this case, anticipation is critical to individuals in the process of attaining success (Hochschild 29). The third and the fourth tenet emphasize virtue and integrity as values that need practiced before achieving the American dream. Morality goes hand in hand with success, if omitted, success obtained has a likelihood of being questionable.

Moreover, the background of an individual dictates much on how one will achieve success (Hochschild 31). People from a poor background find it hard to achieve success than those from rich families. The consideration of an equal opportunity to all works to ensure fair utilization of resources in the quest of attaining success.

The missing point in the dream is lack of consideration to the community in the process of achieving success. Individualistic idea which has been applied has significant shortcomings in its operation (Hochschild 22). It works to usher in greed, corruption and other mischievous habits in the society which hinders economic development and also interferes with the norms and values (Hochschild 23). Basing American dream on an individual also may lead to emergence of environmental problems. Individuals explore resources in the environment for their benefit without conserving them (Hochschild 25). Due to such utilization of resources without caring of the future generation, pollution and climate change issues arise. Besides, the rate of poverty increases as the wealth attained through success occurs to a few individuals.

In precise, I disagree with the author due to the focus on an individual rather than a community in achieving success. Individuals may use illegal methods in achieving success. The dream presents ideas of freedom, chances for everybody, and beliefs in success.

Reference

Hochschild. "Facing Up To The American Dream: Race, Class, And The Soul Of A Nation. Jennifer L. Hochschild." American Journal of Sociology 101.6 (1995): 5-38.