Is the American Dream No Longer Obtainable? A Lot of Americans Think So
The American Dream has been a profound part of the way this country has been shaped. No matter how hard things have gotten or how bleak they have seemed, people have truly believed that if you worked hard you could achieve anything. Yes, the American Dream is an integral part of the very fabric of the United States. So what do we do when that dream starts to fade?
It seems that fewer and fewer people are believing in the American Dream. A new study by the Brookings Institution shows that the faith that hard work and determination can make things better is rapidly waning among the general population. And almost everyone has been struck by this growing negativity.
The numbers have dropped rapidly in a relatively short period of time. Between 2012 and 2014, the overall percentage of people still endorsing the American Dream dropped by a steep 11 percent. And no single group was entirely safe from this growing doubt. Young people in particular are taking things hard; those between the ages of 18 and 29 who still think they can achieve the American Dream plummeted from 56 percent to 40 percent.
Education seems to have an impact on how dubious a person is about the future; those with a high school education or better saw their numbers drop by at least 10 percent. But even those without a high school degree lost faith in the American Dream by 8 percent.
It seems those hit most dramatically by this doubt in the American Dream were of a more liberal bend. People identifying as Democrats that still believe in the American Dream is now a weak 33 percent, down from 50 percent just two years ago. Meanwhile, those labeling themselves as "liberal" saw their numbers tank as well, going from 47 percent in 2012 to a mere 31 percent now. But Republicans and other conservatives didn't exactly keep faith in the American Dream either. The 60 percent of Republicans who believed in the American Dream two years ago has dropped 15 percent. Comparatively, those of a more conservative ideology only saw their faith go down by 8 percent. While normally this would be a serious drop in any statistics, compared to the other numbers in this study conservatives walk away looking positively perky.
Why is everyone so down on the American Dream? There are a number of factors at play, but the biggest may be the optimism of earlier years. In 2012, the country was united in belief that change was coming, and that President Obama's second term would turn things around for people. When the trials and troubles of politics and the real world got in the way of President Obama's hopeful plan, people felt betrayed (especially those Democrats and liberals who had believed so deeply in his message). With the current state of political turmoil, those who were most optimistic are currently having a hard time holding onto the faith. Meanwhile those that weren't invested in President Obama's plans suffered less devastating crises of faith.
Whatever your political stance or ideology, these are tough times for those who are invested in the American Dream. And if things don't change soon, we may have an answer to that singular question: what happens to a dream deferred?
[Pic via Flickr - Beverly & Pack]
