Pursuit Of The American Dream - 881 Words

The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream Many human resource departments do not acknowledge resumes anymore. In fact, many of the companies offer survival jobs instead of the jobs applicants actually apply to, therefore causing downsizing. I know many may think what is a survival job? A survival job is any job an applicant can obtain in order to put food on their tables. Housekeeping, taxi driving or car detailing, to name a few, are survival jobs that offer minimum wage or tips and no source of benefits. In They Say I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing Barbara Ehrenreich author of â€Å"The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream claims that: Stories of white-collar downward mobility cannot be brushed off as easily as accounts of blue-collar economic woes, which the hard-hearted traditionally blame on â€Å"bad choices†: failing to get a college degree, for example, failing to postpone child-bearing until acquiring a nest egg, or failing to choose affluent parents in the first place. But distressed white-collar people cannot be accused of fecklessness of any kind; they are the ones who â€Å"did everything right.†(261) Ehrenreich makes a great point in saying that although many white-collared employees are looked upon as the so called â€Å"over achievers† in the corporate world, there is no need to pity the blue-collared employees for not obtaining the same status. Middle class employees are just as important as the C.E.Os. that own the company. They are the people who do theShow MoreRelatedThe Pursuit Of The American Dream889 Words   |  4 Pageseverything they will need to succeed and thrive in college. Which is why the US attracts people from all over the world who are in pursuit of the American Dream. The American Dream, an idea, which states that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination and initiative. The conceptual idea behind the American dream is not what it was 80 years ago. Although street smarts are important set of skills to have, academic and communicationRead MoreThe Pursuit Of The American Dream1545 Words   |  7 Pages The American dream is defined as â€Å"The belief that everyone in the U.S. has the chance to be successful, rich, and happy if they work hard.† (Cambridge). The Pursuit of Happyness is a movie in which the main character, Chri s Gardner, illustrates the true happenings of an inspirational rags-to-riches feel good persona. As one observes Chris’s struggle of going from one extreme of being homeless to another extreme of owning a brokerage firm, it postulates the logic that the American dream is feasibleRead MoreThe Pursuit Of The American Dream1421 Words   |  6 Pages The American dream is defined as â€Å"the belief that everyone in the U.S. has the chance to be successful, rich, and happy if they work hard† (Cambridge). The Pursuit of Happyness is a movie in which the main character, Chris Gardner, illustrates the true happenings of an inspirational rags-to-riches feel good persona. As one observes Chris’s struggle of going from one extreme of being homeless to another extreme of owning a brokerage firm, it postulates the logic that the American dream is feasibleRead MoreThe Pursuit Of The American Dream1250 Words   |  5 PagesLiu Ms. Wall English 10- 3B 24 November 2015 The Pursuit of the American Dream in A Raisin in the Sun The American Dream embodies the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity. However, there are several interpretations of the American Dream because the idea explores the personal values of individuals. The differentiation between priorities and contrasting views of success amongst individuals can often effect how one defines the American Dream. In A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine HansberryRead MoreThe ( Futile ) Pursuit Of The American Dream1331 Words   |  6 PagesThe (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream Essay How would you feel if your perception of the american dream did live up to its own standards? In Barbara Ehrenreich’s book The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream, she argues that white collar workers are limited to their capability by the harsh reality. People assume being part of the middle class in america will be the answer to a better lifestyle but it just hasn’t been case over the past decades. Teachers tell their students the key to successRead MoreThe American Dream : The Dream, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness1161 Words   |  5 PagesThe American dream has been changing over the years. However, the reason it’s been changing may be more that the change of the times. At its core, the American dream is all about attitude. With the right outlook, it can be whatever it is desired to be. Not only Americans can have the dream, but everyone can obtain this beautiful concept of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Joy Luck Club spends an enormous amount of time comparing the differences of the American dream with theRead MoreAmerican Dream: How To Pursuit This Dream?958 Words   |  4 PagesThe Pursuit of the American Dream What is the American Dream and how does one obtain it? That question can be answered in a multitude of ways. For some achieving the American Dream means living a better, richer and happier life. Others believe it has more emphasis on just living simply and having a fulfilling life; also having the opportunity to become anything one desires with little determination and hard work. In Watson’s Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American DreamRead MoreGatsbys Pursuit of the American Dream Essay827 Words   |  4 Pages Gatsbys Pursuit of the American Dream The American Dream means that by persistently working hard, one can achieve success; this is in contrast to other countries where the immigrants came from, in which one was either born into money and privilege or not, and if you werent, there was no way of achieving this success. The American Dream eliminated the barriers between people that social class had held for centuries in Europe. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, shows the corruption of theRead MoreAmerican Dream in the Film, The Pursuit of Happyness Essay1267 Words   |  6 Pages The American dream is not fully represented in the same way as the ideas were initially raised. The ideas were primarily fabricated in the very beginning of our country. The propagandist role of any medium has changed just as much as the times have since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In contemporary America, film is the leading component of the propagation and detraction of the American dream. The film The Pursuit of Happyness (2005) supports the idea of the American dreamRead MoreThe Pursuit Of The American Dream By F. Scott Fitzgerald1653 Words   |  7 PagesKristin Liu Research Paper Date due: June 10, 2015 Date turned in: June 15, 2015 Self Demise in the Pursuit of the American Dream The 1920s was a time when parties and prosperity were abundant. This created the view that everything was possible and eventually led to the idea of the American Dream. The American Dream was the thought that if one lives in America, then they are living in a land of opportunity. The perception was that an individual, through hard work, can be successful when in America