Last year whilst I was surfing across the interwebs, I stumbled across an article by Teen Vogue stating that '48% of millennials believe the American dream is dead'. Now considering the current state of events taking place in 2016 - Trump being elected for President and ruining the universe - it isn't surprising at all of the results. But it got me thinking, what does the American Dream mean in the modern age and our generation? Can its ideals truly exist in our society?
The American Dream signifies a time when people travelled from far and wide across the globe to the promised land. America was the blessed paradise where dreamers could make a name for themselves and secure their families future. Settlers could work hard and create a home in a suburban county, surrounded by a white picket fence. They would work hard and tirelessly towards the opportunity to succeed and stand up for what they believed in. The American Dream is a nostalgic ideal that transcends beyond the nation of its origin.
Back in the day, things were different. The world was based on national pride. Globalism hadn't conquered the universe yet. In order to be successful, you need to go where success was made. You had to live near where you worked. You would work in an organisation and work your way up the ladder until retirement. That was the norm. Though that principle exists, time has changed. Circumstances have changed.
People don't dedicate their working lives to one company anymore - they move around and test the waters. Teenagers and millennials alike create careers out of bedroom hobbies, producing videos, written content and audio tracks without the help of the professionals. There are thousands of people who work globally and remotely through the use of technology. We can become the masters of our own invention and sell products directly to an audience, through Etsy, Ebay and other online outlets. The gatekeepers have to prove their value and worth, in a world where access is freely and instantly available at the touch of your fingertips. America is no longer the only go-to for success. Success is not defined by where you came from. It's defined by you and what you value you most in this world.
Maybe the American Dream is evolving into that we can relate to. It's our generation and the changes we face that determine what that might be. It's evolving into an ideal of what we'd like the world to be. A world where we can live together and also support each other, beyond labels and prejudice hindering our progress. It's a future we hope that we will come to see one day as we continue to fight the circumstances of society.
So what do you think? What does the American Dream mean to you? Does it still exist?
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