American Dream Today
Essay Preview: American Dream Today
Report this essay
The American Dream today
In the 20th century, the American Dream had its challenges. The Great Depression caused widespread hardship during the Thirties, and was almost a reverse of the dream for those directly affected. Racial instability did not disappear, and in some parts of the country racial violence was almost commonplace.
Silicon Valley initiated the Computer Age and the dot-com boom. Companies such as Hewlett-Packard, eBay, Intel, Google, Apple, and Oracle remain headquartered there.
Since the end of World War II, young American families have sought to live in relative comfort and stability in the suburbs that were built up around major cities. This led to the rise of the relatively conservative 1950s, when many pursued the “perfect family” as a part or consequence of the American Dream.[citation needed] This period was shattered by a new generation of young people who embraced the hippie values of the 1960s, denying traditional values such as the American Dream. In modern times, the American Dream is seen as a possible accomplishment, as all children can go to school and get an education. Though the drive to it waned during those years, the dream itself has never died out.
In the 1990s, the pursuit of the American Dream could be seen in the Dot-com boom. People in the United States, as well as the world poured their energy into the new Gold Rush – the Internet. It was again driven by the same faith that by ones ingenuity and hardwork, anyone can become successful in America. Ordinary people started new companies from their garages and became millionaires. This new chapter of the American Dream again became the beacon to the world and attracted many entrepreneurial people from China and India and elsewhere to Silicon Valley to form startups, and seek fortune in America.
Another recent example of