What Is Today's American Dream
What
Is
Today
's
American
Dream
They may not have called it the American Dream, but for centuries people have gone to America in search of freer, happier, and richer lives.
They
may
not
have
called
it
the
American
Dream
,
but
for
centuries
people
have
gone
to
America
in
search
of
freer
,
happier
,
and
richer
lives
.
But is today's American Dream a mythical concept or still a reality?
But
is
today
's
American
Dream
a
mythical
concept
or
still
a
reality
?
Isabel Belarsky's tiny Brooklyn apartment fills with the sound of her father's voice.
Isabel
Belarsky
's
tiny
Brooklyn
apartment
fills
with
the
sound
of
her
father
's
voice
.
Sidor Belarsky sings an Aria in Russian and 90-year-old Isabel, her lips painted an elegant red, sways gently to the song coming from her stereo.
Sidor
Belarsky
sings
an
Aria
in
Russian
and
90-year-old
Isabel
,
her
lips
painted
an
elegant
red
,
sways
gently
to
the
song
coming
from
her
stereo
.
Isabel speaks with pride about her father's talent and his success as an opera singer: Albert Einstein was such a fan she says that he invited Sidor to accompany him on his speaking engagements and would ask him to sing to the audience.
Isabel
speaks
with
pride
about
her
father
's
talent
and
his
success
as
an
opera
singer
:
Albert
Einstein
was
such
a
fan
she
says
that
he
invited
Sidor
to
accompany
him
on
his
speaking
engagements
and
would
ask
him
to
sing
to
the
audience
.
How the Belarskys came to be in America is an extraordinary tale that Isabel loves to tell.
How
the
Belarskys
came
to
be
in
America
is
an
extraordinary
tale
that
Isabel
loves
to
tell
.
It was the offer of a six-month job by a Mormon college president, who had seen Sidor singing in Leningrad, that enabled the Belarskys to escape from Stalin's Russia in 1930.
It
was
the
offer
of
a
six-month
job
by
a
Mormon
college
president
,
who
had
seen
Sidor
singing
in
Leningrad
,
that
enabled
the
Belarskys
to
escape
from
Stalin
's
Russia
in
1930
.
"Our dream was being in America," Isabel says.
``
Our
dream
was
being
in
America
,
''
Isabel
says
.
"They loved it.
``
They
loved
it
.
My mother could never think of Russia, it was her enemy and my father, he made such a wonderful career here."
My
mother
could
never
think
of
Russia
,
it
was
her
enemy
and
my
father
,
he
made
such
a
wonderful
career
here
.
''
Like generations of immigrants before them, the Belarskys came to America in search of freedom--to them the American Dream meant liberty.
Like
generations
of
immigrants
before
them
,
the
Belarskys
came
to
America
in
search
of
freedom
--
to
them
the
American
Dream
meant
liberty
.
But Isabel says it promised even more.
But
Isabel
says
it
promised
even
more
.
"The dream is to work, to have a home and to get ahead.
``
The
dream
is
to
work
,
to
have
a
home
and
to
get
ahead
.
You can start as a janitor and become the owner of the building."
You
can
start
as
a
janitor
and
become
the
owner
of
the
building
.
''
The American Dream is not written into the constitution but it is so ingrained in the national psyche that it might as well be.
The
American
Dream
is
not
written
into
the
constitution
but
it
is
so
ingrained
in
the
national
psyche
that
it
might
as
well
be
.
Many point to the second sentence in the Declaration of Independence--the "certain unalienable rights" that include "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as the "official" version of the phrase.
Many
point
to
the
second
sentence
in
the
Declaration
of
Independence
--
the
``
certain
unalienable
rights
''
that
include
``
life
,
liberty
and
the
pursuit
of
happiness
''
as
the
``
official
''
version
of
the
phrase
.
But it was actually in 1931 that the term was popularized, when historian James Truslow Adams wrote in The Epic of America that the Dream means "a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank".
But
it
was
actually
in
1931
that
the
term
was
popularized
,
when
historian
James
Truslow
Adams
wrote
in
The
Epic
of
America
that
the
Dream
means
``
a
better
,
richer
,
and
happier
life
for
all
our
citizens
of
every
rank
''
.
The concept of the American Dream has not stayed static.
The
concept
of
the
American
Dream
has
not
stayed
static
.
For European immigrants, like Isabel, fleeing persecution in the first half of the last century, the Dream was about a life without persecution.
For
European
immigrants
,
like
Isabel
,
fleeing
persecution
in
the
first
half
of
the
last
century
,
the
Dream
was
about
a
life
without
persecution
.
But somewhere in the middle of the last century the dream changed.
But
somewhere
in
the
middle
of
the
last
century
the
dream
changed
.
As America's post war economy boomed, the new arrivals wanted more than freedom--they wanted a share of the prosperity as well.
As
America
's
post
war
economy
boomed
,
the
new
arrivals
wanted
more
than
freedom
--
they
wanted
a
share
of
the
prosperity
as
well
.
In the 1950s, TV commercials featured housewives proudly showing off kitchens filled with gleaming appliances.
In
the
1950s
,
TV
commercials
featured
housewives
proudly
showing
off
kitchens
filled
with
gleaming
appliances
.
The quest for liberation became a quest for Coca Cola.
The
quest
for
liberation
became
a
quest
for
Coca
Cola
.
As the century wore on, the materialistic slant of the dream overtook the political side.
As
the
century
wore
on
,
the
materialistic
slant
of
the
dream
overtook
the
political
side
.
Dallas and Dynasty suggested this was a country where it was possible to become not just rich, but filthily rich.
Dallas
and
Dynasty
suggested
this
was
a
country
where
it
was
possible
to
become
not
just
rich
,
but
filthily
rich
.
Cheyanne Smith was shocked at the deprivation that greeted her in America.
Cheyanne
Smith
was
shocked
at
the
deprivation
that
greeted
her
in
America
.
She arrived in New York from the Caribbean seven years ago.
She
arrived
in
New
York
from
the
Caribbean
seven
years
ago
.
Having watched endless American TV shows as a child, she thought she knew what to expect when her family moved to Brooklyn.
Having
watched
endless
American
TV
shows
as
a
child
,
she
thought
she
knew
what
to
expect
when
her
family
moved
to
Brooklyn
.
Instead, the deprivation of one of New York's poorest neighbourhoods shocked her.
Instead
,
the
deprivation
of
one
of
New
York
's
poorest
neighbourhoods
shocked
her
.
"I thought this is not America because this is not what I see on television," she says.
``
I
thought
this
is
not
America
because
this
is
not
what
I
see
on
television
,
''
she
says
.
Like Cheyanne, 18-year-old Franscisco Curiel is also ambitious.
Like
Cheyanne
,
18-year-old
Franscisco
Curiel
is
also
ambitious
.
He came from Mexico City three years ago to go to college here but he's worried that Brooklyn's schools aren't going to give him a good enough education.
He
came
from
Mexico
City
three
years
ago
to
go
to
college
here
but
he
's
worried
that
Brooklyn
's
schools
are
n't
going
to
give
him
a
good
enough
education
.
"The system is broken; we can't get the superior education that they supposedly want to give us," he says.
``
The
system
is
broken
;
we
ca
n't
get
the
superior
education
that
they
supposedly
want
to
give
us
,
''
he
says
.
Through the centuries America's immigrants have endured terrible hardship and sacrifice so that they and their children can get ahead.
Through
the
centuries
America
's
immigrants
have
endured
terrible
hardship
and
sacrifice
so
that
they
and
their
children
can
get
ahead
.
Perhaps it's not surprising to hear the members of the Bushwick youth group lament the multiple, low paid jobs that their parents must do simply to get the rent paid and put food on the table.
Perhaps
it
's
not
surprising
to
hear
the
members
of
the
Bushwick
youth
group
lament
the
multiple
,
low
paid
jobs
that
their
parents
must
do
simply
to
get
the
rent
paid
and
put
food
on
the
table
.
What is startling is that these bright, ambitious youngsters just don't believe that talent and hard work are enough to ensure they will ever have a shot at that mythical American Dream.
What
is
startling
is
that
these
bright
,
ambitious
youngsters
just
do
n't
believe
that
talent
and
hard
work
are
enough
to
ensure
they
will
ever
have
a
shot
at
that
mythical
American
Dream
.
What Is Today's American Dream  They may not have called it the American Dream, but for centuries people have gone to America in search of freer, happier, and richer lives. But is today's American Dream a mythical concept or still a reality?  Isabel Belarsky's tiny Brooklyn apartment fills with the sound of her father's voice. Sidor Belarsky sings an Aria in Russian and 90-year-old Isabel, her lips painted an elegant red, sways gently to the song coming from her stereo.  Isabel speaks with pride about her father's talent and his success as an opera singer: Albert Einstein was such a fan she says that he invited Sidor to accompany him on his speaking engagements and would ask him to sing to the audience.  How the Belarskys came to be in America is an extraordinary tale that Isabel loves to tell. It was the offer of a six-month job by a Mormon college president, who had seen Sidor singing in Leningrad, that enabled the Belarskys to escape from Stalin's Russia in 1930. "Our dream was being in America," Isabel says. "They loved it. My mother could never think of Russia, it was her enemy and my father, he made such a wonderful career here."  Like generations of immigrants before them, the Belarskys came to America in search of freedom--to them the American Dream meant liberty. But Isabel says it promised even more. "The dream is to work, to have a home and to get ahead. You can start as a janitor and become the owner of the building."  The American Dream is not written into the constitution but it is so ingrained in the national psyche that it might as well be. Many point to the second sentence in the Declaration of Independence--the "certain unalienable rights" that include "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as the "official" version of the phrase. But it was actually in 1931 that the term was popularized, when historian James Truslow Adams wrote in The Epic of America that the Dream means "a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank".  The concept of the American Dream has not stayed static. For European immigrants, like Isabel, fleeing persecution in the first half of the last century, the Dream was about a life without persecution.  But somewhere in the middle of the last century the dream changed. As America's post war economy boomed, the new arrivals wanted more than freedom--they wanted a share of the prosperity as well.  In the 1950s, TV commercials featured housewives proudly showing off kitchens filled with gleaming appliances. The quest for liberation became a quest for Coca Cola. As the century wore on, the materialistic slant of the dream overtook the political side. Dallas and Dynasty suggested this was a country where it was possible to become not just rich, but filthily rich.  Cheyanne Smith was shocked at the deprivation that greeted her in America. She arrived in New York from the Caribbean seven years ago. Having watched endless American TV shows as a child, she thought she knew what to expect when her family moved to Brooklyn. Instead, the deprivation of one of New York's poorest neighbourhoods shocked her.  "I thought this is not America because this is not what I see on television," she says. Like Cheyanne, 18-year-old Franscisco Curiel is also ambitious. He came from Mexico City three years ago to go to college here but he's worried that Brooklyn's schools aren't going to give him a good enough education. "The system is broken; we can't get the superior education that they supposedly want to give us," he says.  Through the centuries America's immigrants have endured terrible hardship and sacrifice so that they and their children can get ahead. Perhaps it's not surprising to hear the members of the Bushwick youth group lament the multiple, low paid jobs that their parents must do simply to get the rent paid and put food on the table. What is startling is that these bright, ambitious youngsters just don't believe that talent and hard work are enough to ensure they will ever have a shot at that mythical American Dream.