'Exporting the American Dream:'
Faculty compare today's generation with past in debate
By: Emily Dale Swoboda
Issue date: 4/28/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
|
Leonard Suransky, the Des Lee Visiting International Scholar on Global Awareness, organized the panel discussion titled "Exporting the American Dream" and was joined by English Professor Karla Armbruster, International Relations Lecturer Tamineh Entessar, Management Professor Jim Evans and Associate Professor Alan Mac Neill, History, Politics and Law.
What is the
"American Dream?"
Suransky said the "American dream" is a romantic fantasy that says all men are created equal and they have the same opportunities to achieve success.
"America is the land of opportunity," said Suransky, reciting one definition of the American dream. "If you work hard enough, are talented enough, you can overcome any obstacle and achieve success. No matter where you start in life, the sky is the limit."
Suransky said the truth about the American dream is that the playing field is not level. Americans experience racism, sexism and lookism - bias toward the attractive - all of which prevent most Americans from achieving success.
He also said that the naivete of those seeking the American Dream is fostered by the idea of a fresh start.
"The interesting thing about the American dream is that it promises fresh start after fresh start," Suransky said. "So if you don't make it the first time, you can try again."
Karla Armbruster, who taught a freshman seminar titled "American Dreams and Nightmares," said the mythology of the American dream doesn't always match reality.
She said in the 1930s and '40s the American dream thrived and the income gap was narrow because of strong unions and taxes on wealth and high incomes. Today, the gaps are widening and there is strong evidence that the dream is not alive as much as it was in the past.
"People act and behave and vote against their own economic well-being," Armbruster said.
"The reality is dangerous because if people don't succeed, we can just blame them - they didn't work hard enough," Armbruster said.
