[nocar]

The expression 'the American dream' is very common, but what exactly does it mean?
What are the contents of the American dream? How do you live if your American dream has been fulfilled? What things do you own? What sort of job do you have? Or is a spiritual thing - like a sense of freedom? And in this case freedom to do what?

[Pops]

I think it is the idea of a classless society where a person may cross socioeconomic lines and rise to whatever level they are able, anyone can become a Bill Gates or President Obama or Walter Cronkite.

In practice it means buying any and everything you want.

[Novus]

The American Dream is just propaganda used to justify selfish materialism. It is ultimately an empty existence when all people do define themselves by their: job, car, and phone and then have to take anti depressant drugs to function. That is why those who have been awakened call it the American Nightmare.

[Lore]

The American Dream has always been about the New Frontier and in keeping with my Donald Fagen NightFly theme today (a troubled future)….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBruAooXPNU

[AgentR11]

American Dream, or do you mean the American Scam.

To me, the American dream was perfectly illustrated in, of all things, "Leave it to Beaver", modest home, comfortable family life, where the maturing of the kids was the central focus of the parents lifestyle. As such, it remains eminently achievable.

The image becomes more a nightmare, the more one tries to acquire the trappings of the extremely wealthy; as if the fact that someone happened to have more than you was somehow an affront to your dignity.

Its always better to be wealthy, and live modestly, than to be of modest means and live extravagantly.

[Lore]

American Dream, or do you mean the American Scam.

To me, the American dream was perfectly illustrated in, of all things, "Leave it to Beaver", modest home, comfortable family life, where the maturing of the kids was the central focus of the parents lifestyle. As such, it remains eminently achievable.

We will get back there, but more like the Waltons. Good night Jim Bob.

[AgentR11]

The latter is is social striving, the hope that someone with more wealth and power will take notice, believe you, and let you into their club. It succeeds occasionally, but most folks have radar to detect phonies.

I disagree. More a question of how one approaches the value of money, and what it is to be used for. Phonies never make it. They always need that bigger house eventually, or can't resist that new Mercedes, even if it is a standard sedan...

*** I read your reply wrong. Was distracted at the time.
edit: strikeout, and note

[Keith_McClary]

can't resist that new Mercedes, even if it is a standard sedan...

Chrysler made a K-car limo for those folks.


Today's PhysOrg.com has relevant articles:
What makes Americans and Europeans happy?

Europeans are happier when they have a day off and work less, while their American counterparts would rather be working those extra hours.
...
Europeans tend to be more concerned with enjoying and living life to the fullest, while Americans are busy following the “American Dream” and traveling a road toward financial success.
Previous research shows that happiness can come from wealth and as a person’s income and employment status increase, so does their satisfaction with life. Americans believe that their hard work is what will move them up the ladder, so they appear happier while working more hours. They believe that by working these hours, they are achieving more and reaching more.

How American consumers view debt: a case study

Based on interviews conducted before the 2008 financial crisis, researchers found that even though consumers espouse that they should limit their debt, they take on significant debt because doing so has become normal. As one participant put it, taking on debt is "the American way."
Barnhart and Peñaloza's research yielded a few key findings, including:
Americans suffer from a lack of financial literacy. Every participant said they had learned about credit card use and debt primarily through personal experience. Very few had received any training in school or at home, and most participants said they didn't discuss family finances with their children.
Half of the participants had debt they were unable to pay and one-third of them were dealing with collection agencies.
Participants often talked about credit as a measure of worth, noting that if they were approved for a certain loan they were "good enough for that car." Statements often indicated that approval for big-ticket items such as cars and homes were directly related to a value of the person.
Those who had credit cards and paid them off each month tended to be older, and had higher incomes.
Several of the younger participants in the study noted that they did not want to use credit, but felt they had to in order to finance cars and homes in the future. Most of the younger participants also were encouraged by their parents to have credit cards, and started using credit at a much younger age than those older than 50.

[Shaved Monkey]

The American Dream is the chain that keeps your slave from running away and makes him obedient, punctual and hard working.

[Niagara]

Why is it called the "American Dream"?

Because "you have to be asleep to believe it"

-George Carlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

[mos6507]

Why is it called the "American Dream"?

Because "you have to be asleep to believe it"

-George Carlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q

I was waiting for that. One of the most often linked-to youtube clips by doomers.

[vision-master]

Class of '57

[dsula]

The grass on the other side of the fence is always greener. There are forums (like this: http://www.usa-auswandererforum.com/content/) where German hopefuls talk about wonderful USA. Highly skilled people with a good life in germany who want nothing more than move to the US.
There's this (http://www.revue.ch/en) a magazine for world Swiss migrants. Many frequently write letters stating that they will never return to Switzerland (why if it's such a perfect place?), many of them living in the US. I'm one of them, growing up in Switzerland, I will not return to live in Switzerland as it can't give me the most important thing in life I'm looking for, a sense of FREEDOM (although I sure miss the cheese).

[crude_intentions]

The American dream was to live comfortably (Jobs) retire happy (pension) and die in peace at a ripe old age (health care).

Can we say the American dream is dead yet or do we have to wait until it starts rotting and makes a smell?

[mos6507]

Can we say the American dream is dead yet or do we have to wait until it starts rotting and makes a smell?

Wait until Palin or someone else of her ilk gets sworn in. Then you can call it dead.

[Oneaboveall]

Class of '57

Damn. That's a really sad song. Not quite Death Cab for Cutie sad, but sad nontheless.

I'll submit this: Bad Religion: American Dream

[nocar]

I got two answers explaining the content (and several ironic comments)

I think it is the idea of a classless society where a person may cross socioeconomic lines and rise to whatever level they are able, anyone can become a Bill Gates or President Obama or Walter Cronkite.

In practice it means buying any and everything you want.

The American dream was to live comfortably (Jobs) retire happy (pension) and die in peace at a ripe old age (health care).

So the American Dream can either be
1) the idea of having a career (presumably by working hard) or
2) just having a good standard of living, as a matter of course.

To me those are rather different things - so I will keep wondering what people mean when they use the term.

[radon]

The American dream was to live comfortably (Jobs) retire happy (pension) and die in peace at a ripe old age (health care).

Sounds very much like the late Soviet Union. I think you forgot the house ownership, the Soviet Union did not have that one.

Some people (non-American) argue that the American dream is meritocracy.

[Lore]

The American dream was to live comfortably (Jobs) retire happy (pension) and die in peace at a ripe old age (health care).

Sounds very much like the late Soviet Union. I think you forgot the house ownership, the Soviet Union did not have that one.

Some people (non-American) argue that the American dream is meritocracy.

I thought the American Dream was to fight endless wars, while crushing the enemy, driving him before you and to hear the lamentation of the women.

Wait a minute,... maybe that was Conan's dream I'm thinking of?