According to Forbes Magazine (and many other sources as well), faith in the American Dream is declining rapidly, especially after 9/11, the late 2000's Recession, and other horrendous events. A poll indicates that a mere 57% of people believed the American Dream could be achieved by them and their families in December 2010, as opposed to 76% of Americans in July 2010. This shows a 19% plunge in a single decade, something shocking yet true.
There are many factors contributing to the rapid demise in faith of the cornerstone of America, the American Dream. For example, the income inequality gap has increased, resulting in a pyramid where most American wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, in part due to the late 2000's Recession (which many now coin the Great Recession). The recession itself also played a large factor in the loss of faith in the American Dream, with jobs disappearing and income not keeping up with inflation (especially is energy prices these days-just look at your local gas station). Student debt (and other kinds of debt as well) nail a hammer in the coffin of decreased faith in the American Dream- debt makes humans pessimistic, and when one is in debt, the materialistic aspect of the American Dream seems more out of reach than ever. Basically, when people enter a recession, faith in the American Dream is lost. Why? Everything about it is pecuniary.
So. how does all of this tie in to The Great Gatsby? In the novel, the American Dream is very materialistic as it is today. Money, money, money. Money makes the world go round. After WWI was a decadent period (somewhat like today: our celebrities are similar to the uber-rich in the book) where people borrowed many items using plastic credit cards at an enormous rate, while the poor just tried to get by. It is important to note the novel itself is set in this time- the Roaring Twenties. The early 2000's were like the Roaring Twenties, while the late 2000's were like the Great Depression. Of course, no matter what kind of economy we live in, money is idolized. In Chapter 9 of the novel, the American Dream (original) is supposedly the pursuit of happiness and moral values. I suppose as people grew richer and glean greenbacks, their moral values tended to nosedive. After all, life is about trade. Trade wealth for morals, and you truly pay a great price.
Just remember, to be happy does not equate to being rich. There is much more to life than riches and plastic items.
I really enjoyed the last sentence of your entry. Indeed, most Americans see themselves not being able to achieve the American Dream because their minds are set on more,more,more. I guess it is hard to be thankful for the little things in life in our consumer-driven world.
ReplyDelete-Charlotte