The American Dream Fact Or Fiction Analysis

The American Dream: Fact or Fiction We all have our own image of the American dream, some being as generic as the next; A dependable car, a suburban home with a large front yard, children playing outside, and the man of the house traveling to work to support the family. Consequently, due to all of the hype of the “American Dream” it no longer stands for what it once did. In a New York Times article, columnist and “opinionator” Allison Arieff described her opinion on the matter. In her article she wrote, “We’ve built more houses than we’ve needed — and built them farther away from jobs. This has led to longer commutes, which has created more traffic. In response, we built more highways, increasing fuel consumption and, as transportation planners acknowledge, doing little if anything to reduce traffic. It’s a vicious, seemingly endless cycle, and at its core is the notion that the American dream can exist only within the framework of the
Arieff’s article goes on to explain her opinion on how houses COULD be maintained, and home-owners using their money well-spent, and I agree whole-heartedly. Americans are wasting money finding a house that is nowhere near their jobs just to maintain their image. It is wasteful, uneconomical, and it is happening all across America. It is true that Americans today have been fooled by the sales and construction industry to focus more on square footage rather than becoming part of a new community. Although most can agree that a beautiful home on a large chunk of land sounds wonderful, we fail to recognize the beauty of being a part of a community, and being part of a bigger picture. Homes are not a fortress, or a castle, they are for the sole comfort of growing and developing a healthy and happy family within