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3) The American dream makes us focus single-mindedly on wealth and prestige. 5
. . . . [O]f course, financial considerations are necessary for survival in our society. And
it’s healthy to consider wealth and prestige when making life decisions, particularly for
those who come from backgrounds with less privilege. But to what extent has this concern
become an unhealthy obsession? For those who have the privilege of living a life based on Amanda Machado
a different set of values, to what extent has the American dream mindset limited our idea
of success?
The Harvard Business Review reported that over time, people from past generations have
begun to redefine success. As they got older, factors like “family happiness,” “relationships,”
“balancing life and work,” and “community service” became more important than job titles
and salaries. . . .
While I spent high school and college focusing on achieving an Ivy League degree, and
a prestigious job title afterward, I didn’t think about how other values mattered in my own
notions of success. But after I took a “gap year” at 24 to travel, I realized that the way I’d
defined the American dream was incomplete: It was not only about getting an education and
a good job but also thinking about how my career choices contributed to my overall well-
being. And it was about gaining experiences aside from my career, like travel. It was about
making room for things like creativity, spirituality, and adventure when making important
decisions in my life.
Courtney E. Martin addressed this in her TED talk called “The New Better Off,” where she 20
said: “The biggest danger is not failing to achieve the American dream. The biggest danger is
achieving a dream that you don’t actually believe in.” . . .
4) Even if you achieve the American dream, that doesn’t necessarily mean
other Americans will accept you.
A few years ago, I was working on my laptop in a hotel lobby, waiting for reception to process
my booking. I wore leather boots, jeans, and a peacoat. A guest of the hotel approached me
and began shouting in slow English (as if I couldn’t understand otherwise) that he needed
me to clean his room. . . .
I realized then that no matter how hard I played by the rules, some people would
never see me as a person of academic and professional success. This, perhaps, is the most
psychologically disheartening part of the American dream: Achieving it doesn’t necessarily
mean we can “transcend” racial stereotypes about who we are. . . .
I still cherish my college years, and still feel immensely proud to call myself an Ivy
League graduate. I am humbled by my parents’ sacrifices that allowed me to live the
comparatively privileged life I’ve had. I acknowledge that it is in part because of this
privilege that I can offer a critique of the United States in the first place. My parents and
other immigrant families who focused only on survival didn’t have the luxury of being
critical. . . .
I deeply respect the choices my parents made, and I’m deeply grateful for the 25
opportunities the United States provided. But at this point in my family’s journey, I am
curious to see what happens when we begin exploring a different dream.
2017
Immigration and the American Dream CONVERSATION
81
Copyright © 2021 by Bedford, Freeman & Worth High School Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample chapter.
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