Is The American Dream Attainable Essay

In America people are given the privilege to have dreams. A young woman from Mexico comes to the U.S to start a better life, a young African American male peruses a doctoral degree in medicine, and a Caucasian male follows his dreams of taking over the family business. There is one thing all these individuals have in common: they are all in pursuit of the American dream. For these three individuals, their American dreams seem positive, however that is not always the case for others. Some people’s idea of the American dream is tainted by outside sources. Today the media and entertainment can have a negative influence on the American dream.

The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success for families and their children, achieved through hard work. Today however, that ethical appeal is found through social media. The most active social media users are children. They get exposed to everything online. Children today are blinded with the unrealistic idea that success comes from drugs, sex, and money. A mother’s 5 year old son, becomes an internet sensation due to videos of him using profanity and reciting vulgar rap lyrics. A father’s conscious is haunted after watching a video of his young daughter, dancing sexually imitating a music video she saw. Our children listen to these violent songs, believing that if someone disrespects them, the only way to handle the situation is by fighting or guns. They see images and videos of half-dressed women, dancing and getting money tossed toward them, believing that all women enjoy this and should be treated in such a manner. With technology becoming bigger and more advanced by the day, it is so much easier to become exploited without consent. Media and entertainment companies are setting the next generation of leaders up for failure. It is essential to reinforce morals, encourage work ethic, and nurture their dreams. Positive images are needed to restore the American Dream back to what it used to be: prosperity and success though dedication and hard work!

While entertainment should be something used for its initial purpose, entertaining. TV should not influence how someone experiences their day to day life. One should not measure their worth or successes by whether they become an overnight YouTube sensation, Instagram famous, or a rapper. One should define their success by what makes them happy or fills one’s life with meaning. What media and entertainment decides to display can have an influence on a person’s decisions, perceptions and thoughts. Be conscious of the media and how they can project ideas on one’s personal beliefs. To prevent the media and entertainment industries from continuously having this effect, one must be able to see beyond the distractions and know the difference between “fake news” and issues that matter. This can only be achieved if people educate themselves and become more active in their community. The American Dream is attainable through hard work and dedication, not social media followers and likes.

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