The American Dream

"The term [American Dream] seems like the most lofty as well as the most immediate component of an American identity, a birthright far more meaningful and compelling than terms like "democracy," "Constitution," or even "the United States." -Jim Cullen in The American Dream


     To me, this statement is somewhat startling yet also makes a lot of sense.  I think that the American Dream is an incredibly interesting idea, in all its forms, kinds, and details.  I love that the idea is important to the people of this country and that it is different for each person who believes in it (or doesn't believe in it).  However, it also does not really seem right that, as Cullen states, we value it more than the terms he states: democracy, Constitution, and United States.  This statement he makes in his introduction leads me to ask the question- why would we value the term or idea of the American Dream over three things that make our country what it is?
     I think that one reason the American Dream appeals to us more than democracy, Constitution, or United States is the fact that the American Dream is somewhat mysterious and not a concrete fact.  I like what Cullen says later in the introduction, "The American Dream would have no drama or mystique if it were a self-evident falsehood or a scientifically demonstrable principle."  We are allured to it because no one is quite sure that it is attainable.  This is so unlike the Constitution, which firmly lays out the framework of our country, or democracy, which we already understand and experience every day.  I think we are attracted to the American Dream because it applies directly to us right now.  This also goes along with some of the adjectives we used to describe Americans on the first day of class: individualistic, materialistic, driven.  Oftentimes, materialistic things are a huge part of the American Dream, such as nice houses and cars, and that also compels us far more than say, the Constitution does.  The American Dream is also very compelling in its nature of being individualistic- each of us wants to be the best we can be and achieve the greatest things we can achieve.
     I think it is important not to forget the three terms Cullen mentions because without them, the American Dream would be absolutely impossible to attain.  T.T. Williams even mentions one of the terms Cullen does when she points out what we could lose if we accept things the way they are- "Everything. Everything we value, cherish, and love. Democracy."  I think we forget the basics sometimes when we are striving to reach our goals and live our version of the American Dream, which again, would not be attainable without those basic principles.

Reference: The American Dream by Jim Cullen