American Dream

                The American Dream. In a way it defines America and American identities, the idea being that if a person works hard, that hard work will eventually pay off in the end. Unfortunately, the American Dream is just that, a dream. The reality of the world has much more complexities than the black and white results of the American Dream. Factors surrounding things that we can and can’t control keep us from climbing the social ladder as high as we wish. It comes from the family we are born into and the fruits that stem from that circumstance as well as the opportunities granted to some and not others.

            Education is the building block to success in the 21^st century. Without going to a decent college and getting that degree or doctorate or whatever it may be, the chance to move up the social ladder is slim to none. The interesting aspect about education is that even though it is so important for those in the lower class to improve their circumstances, they are less likely to succeed in an academic environment than those from a higher social class. According to Sean F. Reardon in his article “No Rich Child Left Behind”, “…children of the rich perform better in school, on average, than from the middle-class or poor families.” (Source A). So social class is a clear predictor of performance academically. Unfortunately the “…differences in educational success between high- and-lower- income students have grown substantially” (Source A). This growing gap has a direct link to the social class system in America. How is possible for these people to fulfill the American Dream if they are left struggling in the education system, a system that is so vital for someone’s future? The article, “Social Mobility in America: Repairing the Rungs” states that “…most OECD countries spend more on education of poor children than rich ones, in America the opposite is true” (Source B). Our country does nothing to help those struggling to climb the social ranks, yet we still state that anything is possible under the “American Dream”. Sure, there are a few that break the norms, but can we really base the existence of the American Dream on a few sporadic outside cases? It is clear that America is focused more on the rich, those who statistically are shown to succeed. But if this is true, where is there room for the American Dream?

            We are all born into families, each having different circumstances economically. These circumstance present us with a different number of opportunities. Those in the higher class have more opportunities than those in the lower class. This is plain and simple. It may not be what people want to hear, but the truth is harsh. In a report commissioned by the Pew Charitable Trusts in 2012, figure 3 shows that American in the upper and lower ranks will likely stay there during their lifetime (Source F). Now the American Dream is based partly on mobility on the social ladder. If mobility to those who need the benefits of the dream are unable to achieve it, what is the point? One of the main reasons those in the lower class are unable to move up is inequality. They are given less opportunities because they are in a lower class rank. “The Great Gatsby Curve” by Paul Krugman shows “…America is both unequal and has especially low mobility” (Source G). The graph compare America as well as other countries from around the world. The inequality in our country is a direct cause to the lack of mobility. By definition, the lack of mobility conflicts with the basic principal of the American Dream.

            It is not so clear, black and white, that the American Dream is real. I think that the American Dream is only a dream, and not a reality. The lack of educational success, assistance from the government, and inequality are clearly affecting American people negatively. It would ideal if anyone was able to move up in the ranks, to get that dream job and become that person they always wanted to be. It will most likely never happen for most. I hope that in the future, American’s can pull their act together and make something that may only be a dream into a reality and change our country for the better.