The American Dream is Still Possible for Everyone Who Wants It | Teen Ink

The American Dream is Still Possible for Everyone Who Wants It

June 5, 2024
By Anonymous

The American is still possible for everyone but it is not guaranteed. If you want the American Dream you must work hard and have a strong positive mindset to achieve it. Everyone has a different perception of the American Dream, depending on what they want to accomplish in life. America is the so-called land of opportunity. The American Dream is all an ideology but it is a belief that keeps Americans going in life for the feeling of success. 


In the opinion of Jack Kelly (Forbes, 2023), “The American Dream is feeling less and less tangible for people in the United States, with confidence rapidly plummeting.” (par. 1). This means that the American Dream is feeling less approachable and it is becoming more complicated to succeed. Every American citizen should have the right to attain the dream. They just have to work extremely hard to get it. If you truly want something in life to better yourself you are going to have to work as hard as you possibly can to accomplish that goal no matter the cost or the struggle. 


It is believed by many that “Although pessimism about the American dream has grown across groups, the change is sharpest among young adults. Their view that the American dream still holds true has dropped by 35 points, from 56% in 2010 to 21% now.” (Jared Sousa, ABC News, 2024). This information above represents how the belief of the American Dream has dropped less than half in numbers by the younger generations of our country. The way the American Dream is being perceived is completely different among different races. As mentioned by the American Creed Writing Our Future, “Whites (41%) are more likely than blacks (17%) or Hispanics (32%) to say they have achieved the American dream. But more blacks (62%) and Hispanics (51%) than whites (42%) say they are on their way to achieving it.” (Rosemarie, par. 5). This indicates that minorities are on their journey to achieve their goal as to white people have already accomplished it. This could be due to their education status or different opportunities that have been given to them. White people tend to be more privileged than others. But that does not hinder from the fact that blacks or Hispanics cannot achieve the American Dream, they just have to work harder for what they want. My grandmother came to this country from Mexico trying to accomplish the American Dream. Her version of the American Dream is different from others but she achieved it by becoming an American Citizen and having the majority of her kids go to college and pursue their dreams. 


In this economy today a great number of Americans are facing struggles with money. “Including the cost of living outpacing wages, rising housing costs, high inflation, income inequality and the burden of student loans and record-high credit card debt.” (Kelly, Forbes 2023). This tends to cause a decline in people's way of achieving the American Dream because they have to be focused on paying off other bills and issues so as not to go into debt and set themselves back even more.


All things considered, the American Dream would be easily achievable if equal opportunities were given to everyone, but unfortunately, that is not the case. Everyone comes from different walks of life and not everyone is as privileged as others. If all Americans were the same this country would be entirely different. Having to face challenges in order to accomplish what we want creates great skills because not everything is going to be handed to you in life. You have to work hard to get the American Dream. 


The author's comments:

I am a seventeen-year-old high school junior submitting this for my English Final. The topic of this op-ed is about whether the American Dream is possible or not. 


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