Is the American Dream Real?

In which John discusses moving to New York, equality of opportunity, socioeconomic mobility in the United States in the 21st century, the American dream, and the underratedness of Slovenia.

(That noted, the gender pay gap overall remains real.)

[SabertoothSeal]

The American Dream is often misinterpreted as "a dream every American has for themselves, " when it really is "the dream America has for itself." The American dream isn't about Americans having better lives, it's about America being a better place to live.

[JunesGo]

I'm danish, so I just want to ad to this
"the danish dream" = greater chance of small success
the american dream = smaller chance of great success

[kingfrederik]

the american dream, the most successful ad campaign in history. 

[shinemperor]

I agree, all these anecdotes about the "American Dream" really don't reflect the reality. In fact, there are some intellectuals (Noam Chomsky) who argue that the myth of the American Dream is destructive rather than helpful.

He talks about the anti-myth. So, the myth goes:

You go to America and you work hard. Because you work hard, you succeed.

The anti-myth is this:

If you haven't succeeded, it means you don't work hard, and so it follows, you're lazy.

This is in American political discourse a lot. It in effect blames the poor for poverty. It's a common belief among the Right and Libertarians and Free Market Advocates. Which, is an extremely dangerous world view. Poverty, isn't he result of those who are poor, that's absurd. There's a host of environmental, economic, geographic, cultural factors at play. But, the oversimplification has lead, to what some people call "a war on the poor". Not the good kind of "war on..." something, like preventing drugs or cancer. But an actual effort to demonize the poor.

At first, I never gave credence to the anti-myth, I thought it was a stretch, but after following American political discourse for a while, I'm convinced it has had an impact on how Americans view poverty.

[AlexBermann]

The problem with the American Dream is that it is based on an idea which is naive in its core. People are not free and equal. Inequality in class can lead to differences in behavior, values, tastes and general survival strategies. So questions about if you take a risk to acquire chances (which does include education in the US system) or if you fit in a group are not entirely your free choice. For people with less money, things like universal health care can mean that they can take risks and not be bound by the expectation to be ruined forever. If higher education just costs time, they will not be as hesitant to risk taking that opportunity.

[vlogbrothers]

In which John Green discusses moving to New York, equality of opportunity, socioeconomic mobility in the United States in the 21st century, the American dream, and the underratedness of Slovenia.

Is the American Dream Real?

[karakamos]

I'm all for the Danish dream, especially if it involves, like, Danishes.

[lenrat]

awww the story of the craigslist furniture mover made me smile.

[predo]

John: "And in Slovenia..."
Me: HE KNOWS WE EXIST :O! "

[FuriousImp]

"It's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it." - George Carlin

[HeathenBenny]

Coming from a lower-middle-class family, this really hits home.  My true hope in life is that I can move myself and my family into an economic position where we can live without surviving disability check to disability check.

[Regnbuesolv]

I grew up in Denmark, and I must urge you to start liking paying high taxes, eating fish for breakfast and cycling everywhere...I miss it so much

[NathanTalbott]

I think that's the best re-statement I've ever heard of "The American Dream, " insofar as its accuracy.
Anyone who can work, can work- doesn't mean you'll be paid what you believe to be an adequate amount (not yet anyway, but we're working toward that as a society I hope), and it doesn't mean you'll find success in the exact terms you'd prefer, but it does mean you can work.

[zzzinsomniaczzz]

I love how you actually turned to the side to make your side point. 

[hptwilighter]

I am a female programmer.  Thanks for the shout-out, John. 

[ronoc]

I'm from Ireland, BA Honors degree, and I lived in America for about 4 months. I had a job interview nearly every week, and actually found work. Now I've been back in Ireland for about 7 months and I have not had a single interview. On top of that, the jobs I was going for in America were paying anywhere between 12 - 25 dollars per hour. The only jobs here in Ireland now are either 0 hour contracts or unpaid 9 month internships. Part of the American dream is simply the opportunity for a better life. With that in mind, I think it's still around.

[Arkiasis]

It' called the American dream because "you have to be asleep to believe it."

[alexella]

Thank you!!! I also think the "American Dream" idea allows people to blame the poor for the inequality they face, which isn't helpful or accurate.

I certainly can see how poverty has affected me. The first week of my life, my family lived in a homeless shelter. My mom got assistance from the government to get a house, get food, go to college, and send us to daycare. When I was young she divorced my biological father (can I just say he was a horrible guy) and she did all this still while raising four of us. My mom did in fact work hard, but without government assistance, I don't think much would of changed for us. Now we are middle class, however this allows people to operate by a lot of assumptions. Like the idea that I have money saved up for college. We didn't have money to save. Every penny was spent on surviving. So that's one way being poor a while ago still affects me now.

My city was also ranked one of the poorest in the nation and I get pissed when people say being poor is the poor's fault.

[spelunkerd]

The strongest argument in favour of low university and college tuition fees is the upward mobility ceiling for the working poor. Laid across the track of those hoping for more through education, they compound the cultural and social factors that impair upward mobility.

Here in Canada, our tuition fees have risen astronomically, in less than one generation. Scholarships are an imperfect solution.

[duncanharrison]

Dear John,
I am an eight grade at Twin Falls Middle School, North Bend WA. Many of my peers and I love your book The Fault in Our Stars, as well as Hank and your videos on this channel. I have been hoping since the first time I watched Crash Course History that I could meet with you to talk, ask and learn more about the creative process of your writing and what inspired you to do what you do today.
Thank you for your time,
Duncan Harrison