The American Dream

One of the biggest stories in American culture is the concept of the American Dream, and the popular idea that one can "pull themselves up by their bootstraps." How can we articulate the American Dream? Upward mobility for those who work hard, equal opportunity for all, rags to riches? College as a ticket to a better life than your parents? Homeownership for the working class on one income with a stay at home partner, 2.5 kids, a car, and a white picket fence?

Is this story a reality, or "just a myth," a way of looking at the world that isn't quite grounded in present-day real life, but keeps our hope alive-and a narrative that teaches us that people are only poor because they don't work hard enough? What does this mean when it comes to things like inherited generational wealth, historically marginalized groups, single parenthood, and underfunded school districts? Can any of these things impact upward mobility? This week we will be exploring the origin of the phrase, and the evolution of the American Dream in the American mythos.