09/17/12 - The American Dream - First Period

9/13/2012

OK so here's what you need to do. Below these directions is a passage regarding the American dream. Read this passage and reply to the question (in bold) that follows in no less than FIVE sentences.

"Achieving the American dream implies reaching some threshold of well being, higher than where one began but not necessarily dazzling. As Bruce Springsteen puts it, "I don't think the American dream was that everybody was going to make . . . a billion dollars, but it was that everybody was going to have an opportunity and the chance to live a life with some decency and some dignity and a chance for some self-respect.'
"The American dream consists in becoming better off than some comparison point, whether one's childhood, people in the old country, one's neighbors, a character from a book, another race or gender--anything or anyone that one measures oneself against" (Hochschild 16).

What does the American dream mean to you? In your own opinion, how do aspects of the American dream apply differently to each American class (lower class, middle class, upper class)? Lastly, what are your thoughts on an online assignment such as this?

17 Comments

Miranda Blouir

9/17/2012 12:31:58 am

To me, the American Dream means a middle class family, not extremely wealthy, but comfortable. The parents work, but not to the point they don’t have family time, and everything fits into a perfect little ball. But I guess the American Dream means different things depending on what class you're in, for poor, it would to be a middle class family, comfortable. And for middle class, it would be to have quite bit of extra money to spend on whatever. And I’m not too sure what the American dream would be for a rich person, seems to me like there already living it, or it be to work less and make more.
I like the idea of an online assignment, it’s easier to type my thoughts over writing them, it’s also more legible, however, I don’t have a daily access to a computer, and typing from my phone can get pretty frustrating.

Amber Stull

9/18/2012 09:47:21 am

To me the American dream means that everyone will have the freedom to be who ever they want, act however they want, free of judgement, and free from dictators. To me the American dream means that you can live your life in freedom. To the lower class people the American Dream is limited. The American dream in my opinion is limited to the lower class people because they don't really have enough money to stay alive off of let alone do whatever they want. To middle class people the American dream is right up their alley. It's right up their alley because they could raise a family and survive and still have some money to expres themselves and just be happy. To upper class people the American Dream is most of the time not so great because you'll never know who to trust or who not to trust. The wealth will destroy their American Dream because of greed.
Online homework assignments are great. Their great because we can get on our phones in our spare time and just do our homework. You don't need to have a pen or pencil and youll never forget your homework paper because let's be honest how many people go anywhere without their phones. This homework assignment for me was just like one big long text.

Adrienne Gaiser

9/19/2012 09:58:01 am

To me an American Dream means to all be happy. Money does not require all people to be happy. I believe everyone should be happy and comfortable in their own living enviornment. However they want their life, is how it should be. I'm sure everyone has a different perspective on what their specific American Dream would be. In my opinion, if I was poor I would want to be higher. If I was in middle class I would want to be higher, even if I was rich I think it would still consist of the same dreams. Everyone wants more than what thet have worked for. I believe the American Dream is what YOU want it to be, life should be chosen by you.

Jason Hall

9/19/2012 10:56:46 am

The American Dream differs by everyone's definition depending on your outlook on life. My definition of the American Dream is living the good life, following Jesus Christ, and having loving family and friends around you. If you have those Three things in life your doing good. Having friends and family that are loving and support you in the things you do means so much to me and what i am trying to conquer in life. The American Dream to me is so much more then having money or things even though i do enjoy my cars and trucks. But the American Dream is all about the freedoms to talk to whoever you want and worship the God you want. That is living the American Dream to me !

David Mazey

9/19/2012 01:06:28 pm

The American dream is viewed in a lot of different ways. The American dream to me means that you can live a normal life. For example have a nice house; a good steady job; an just live and average life with no worries. You would have your family your friends and money to do stuff that you enjoy. I don't think the American Dream is were you are rich and can do what ever you any because you have money. I think the opinions would be different for the lower classroom the high class, because the difference of money! A lot of people think the American dream is all about money and it really isn't! And I think this online assignment is ok!

Shannon Squires

9/20/2012 06:22:47 am

To me the american dream measns to have the abilty to acheive evreything in life you wanted to. In some countries citzens are unable to fulfill their dreams due to the goverment. In america you have an open opportunity to do whatever you want with your life. I feel the american dreams has notthing to do with money. It deals with fulfilling personal accomplishments. I think the american class does have an effect on the american dream. For example lower class people dont want expansive things or fancy cars they want more of a personal goal while higher classes want the money and fancy cars. I love this online assignment. I think it makes learning more fun and more like college!!

Jacquelyn Boylen

9/20/2012 12:21:48 pm

The American dream to me is receiving a good education, pursuing a career, being financially stable, getting married, starting a family, and living life to the fullest. In other countries it is hard to get a good education or you cannot get a education at all. In a lot of countries the people are poor and are not financially stable to get married and have a family. The American dream is different in American classes because the higher the class the more they are focused on money and material things in life. The lower the class the more they are focused on the non material things in life. The assignments seem easy but they can be very inconvenient to people that cannot get internet connection easily.

Dan wright

9/20/2012 01:07:13 pm

The American dream isn't really a dream more an Idea of how life should not oly be lived but viewed. But still diffrent perspectives for diffrent classes of income. Such as the upper class/wealthy middle class/working and lower class/struggling.
The upper class Is known to have reached the American dream to a point. They don't do (back braking) work to earn their money. Unlike the middle or lower classes but as stated before the American dream is how you look at it I personally think its about if ur happy in your career and your life at hOme.
I don't like the blogging I'm having problems with it . It's a bit annoying

Hunter Thornton

9/20/2012 01:17:25 pm

In my opinion, the American Dream stands for freedom. We have more freedom than most people do in other countries. I feel that being an American is a privilege and we should be proud of our country. The upper, middle, and lower class all are different in ways. I feel that the middle class supports too much of America. Because the upper class has more money, its easier to support themselves and their family. The middle and lower class have to work hard for what they have. I think that Americans that work hard for what they have should give themselves more credit. I liked the online assignment, but I don't like that I wouldn't be able to ask any questions to the teacher directly.

Kyle Sykes

9/20/2012 01:26:30 pm

The American Dream to me means that you have the opportunity to live whatever life that you want. Whether that be working hard and being apart of the upperclass or even middle class or hardly doing anything and being apart of the lower class, just making it through life on things that you need. Many people believe that the American Dream means strictly education or religion. I strongly disagree though, I believe it's about your ability to become rich and the lifestyles you can choose. Every American has the right to try to persue his or her "Dream" it just depends on how much work they're willing to put In and which class they want to be apart of. I think this is a great online assignment because you do a lot of these in college and it's good to prepare.

Brittney Taylor

9/20/2012 01:56:28 pm

In my view, the American Dream does not depend on what class you are from. I believe it's just everyone's way to be happy with their life. To have somewhat of a satisfaction where one point, you are worry free and everything just seems to fall into place. Everyone has a hope for happiness and achieving it one day is everybodies dream. Which is labeled as the American Dream.
I like the online blogging, makes it more interesting.

Quinten Sharier

9/20/2012 10:57:31 pm

I see the American Dream as being succesful in life. It doesn't matter if your in the middle, upper, or lower classes. The American Dream should be what you want it to be. Take me for as example, I want to makes lots of money and have a job that I love. That's my American Dream and that's probably just the simple version of everybody's American Dream. So, the American Dream is whatever the person wants to do with there life and have it that way.

Sarah Hathaway

9/21/2012 02:41:07 am

The American dream is something everyone would like to have. What people seem to think "The American Dream" is to be rich, successful, no worries. In reality you can be what and who you want to be in American. everything is up to you, you will always have choice; something that other countries do not have.

Hisako

9/24/2012 10:32:01 pm

An American dream is for everyone to be happy with their life. It's not what you have or don't have in life. Money isn't everything on life as people may seem like it is. It can help in so many different ways but can't buy love
or family. many people see the dream as being rich living wealthy having all the things you want. People who are middle class have money but not a lot of it they might want to try to get more by working harder to better their family. The wealthy family wouldn't have to give up anything or anything thy can do whatever since they have a lot of money. Nothing holds them back from being able to do what they want. In life it's up to you to decide how you live your live and how you make the best of it. Chase the dreams that you want to achieve. Working for that will pay off later in life. It's not all about the money or all tht if your happy then that's all that matters . I think online bogging is okay but if you have a question you cannot ask them

Sarah hathaway

9/21/2012 02:43:37 am

Lower, middle, and upper class are all different. People see the American dream as what the upper class lives like. For example, the kardashians; but reality most likely isn't like that for most. I don't like online postings, I'd rather write it on paper, so no one see's it but me. Along of people see things differently than others.

Rich Durant

10/3/2012 06:27:13 am

The American Dream is what anyone wants it to be. It don't matter your social status or how much money you have, it's about what you want to do with your life. Like me, I want to be a physical therapist and so many more things, that's my American Dream. So the American Dream is based on what you want it to be.

Alexus Livingston

10/9/2012 12:27:58 pm

From my perspective i believe that the American Dream consists of self beliefs and thoughts from personal images. The American Dream is different to different people of different social classes because they all have different desires. They also have different definitions of self happiness. I thought this was a nice way to do a homework assignment because it was different and i wont lose this.

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.

09/17/12 - The American Dream - First Period

Leave a Reply.

Author

Archives

Categories