What is the American Dream?
It has its foundation in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and weaves through the lives of each and every one of us today. It is a broad embodiment of ideals characterizing a culture while also being a unique expression defining an individual. It’s a discourse in community as well as a deeply personal dialogue. It springs to life in conversation, where we put words to it and engage others, creating new worlds, new ways of thinking, and new possibilities… making available a new future to live into that inspires a life and defines a purpose.
The American Dream first appeared as an articulated idea – the actual phrase – in 1931 in James Truslow Adams’ best-selling book “Epic of America”. He wrote:
“The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement… too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”
Americans dream of more than just basic financial survival. They dream of peace of mind, abundance, and greatness. Ultimately, the American Dream is far less about the accumulation of material possessions and a daily undertaking to merely “make it”, but rather has much more to do with opportunity – the opportunity to live a life to its fullest, free of limits or constraints, to aspire and achieve, and to live a life aligned to personal values… and one’s life purpose.
The prerequisite to living the American Dream is freedom – individual, political, and economic freedom – distinguished as an inalienable right to each and every one. And to anyone who says the American Dream is exclusive or unavailable, it is possible that what is missing for them is not a thing, or even a condition, but a way of speaking that is generated from a created future – a future that generates new possibilities filled with freedom, fulfillment, and love (and not one rendered from a limiting conversation inherited from a curated past).
The American Dream is a global phenomenon, incorporated by countries around the world where governments and individuals alike are embracing ideologies that are the foundation of the American Dream. These include a belief in capitalism and that free markets work, the value of freedom of speech and open access to information and communication, and the merits of private enterprise and private property as an access to individual self-expression, wealth creation, and the foundation of a prosperous economy.
Every person should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. The truth is, the American Dream is alive and well – and the American Dream can be a reality for everyone.
We invite you to join us and encounter the possibility of reclaiming, recapturing, and realizing your American Dream. Find out how and discover your true purpose in life by attending the American Dream Experience.
Contact us at connect@matsonmoney.com to learn more about Matson Money and how we can assist you in your journey to achieving your American Dream.