While 53% say the American Dream remains possible, another 41% believe the life of relative economic security the notion once conjured up is now out of reach, the survey of 8,709 U.S. adults found. That divide roughly held regardless of race, ethnicity, partisanship and education of respondents, the nonpartisan think tank found.
The findings may illustrate wishful thinking on the part of some respondents, depending on how one calculates what it takes to be living the American Dream. An analysis late last year from financial site Investopedia found that the American Dream costs about $3.4 million to achieve over the course of a lifetime, from getting married to saving for retirement.
That estimate would put the dream out of reach for most folks, given that the median lifetime earnings for the typical U.S. worker stands at $1.7 million, according to researchers at Georgetown University.
The poll seems to define the American dream as “the idea that anyone can get ahead through hard work and determination,” which is one of the vaguer things I’ve read today.
Trying not to take it literally (there’s no way “anyone” can get ahead…) and responding to the general spirit of the idea:
Anecdotally speaking, I’m very fortunate to have a well-paid, air-conditioned job and own my own house not in the middle of nowhere. Even though I like to imagine much of that was due to hard work in school and not bombing interviews, I reckon it must be at least 90% due to what skin color I am, where I was born, how my family dynamic was growing up, how much money my parents made, and if I had an “in” at a potential job (i.e. a connection or friend there). And that 90% out-of-my-ass statistic is probably conservative. It’s an ugly truth that I think not many people want to admit to themselves, especially those in my demographic. I know whatever options I have will be more easily attained by someone in my situation, versus others out there. It’s a no-brainer.
That said, everything that makes up my relatively fortunate individual life still does not feel like it adds up to any sort of dream, simply because I live in the context of those around me, those in my community, and those who could not possibly get close to “the American dream” no matter how much they try. I cannot isolate my life from others in some sort of bubble. It feels to me as if the American dream should act as a kind of AND logic gate; until everyone can realize the American dream, no one can.
So, with the way things work here, I’d say it’s impossible and never was possible at any point in time. The American dream is not based in any kind of reality and is just a tool used by the ruling class to keep our heads down.
Damn. Well said.