Space and exchange: is the American Dream still alive today ?

Space and exchange

The american dream is what built the USA as we know it today. It is the promise that there is a country where anyone can, by working hard and honestly, earn enough money for him and his family to eat and have a roof over their heads. And for centuries, this promise was the hope of a better life for millions of immigrants around the world. All this was possible since America was a fresh new land not a long time ago yet. But today, the country being populated and facing an economic crisis, things aren’t so sure for newcomers anymore.

So to develop an aspect of the notion “Space and exchange”, we will try to understand :

If the American Dream is still alive today ?

I/ A land where we can still succeed

First of all : today, USA = world’s first multicultural society, counting the most immigrants in the world with nearly 50 M people from foreign countries

⇒ so it’s still a country attracting people

+ examples people succeeding are visible everywhere:

→ testimony of an indian man who reached the US in the 80’s with only $60 in pocket and we started working hard with his hands and now he’s a neurosurgeon in a famous institute

→ Obama’s speech on the “American Dream” : stands firmly by this ideology taking as an example his own life (black and coming from modest background but today pdt of US)

→ famous self-made men : Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg

II/ A country closing its borders

Nevertheless : the USA are not as powerful as they used to be as a result of the economic crisis going on since 2007 → increasing unemployment created tensions about whether or not we should let more immigrants enter the US territory

ex :

→ concerning this we studied a Time Magazine cover showing lady liberty stopping immigrants with her hand = immigration has become a burning issue

→ movie “Crossing Over” : repression of illegal immigrants on the US-Mexico border tougher than ever

+ documentary “Capitalism : A Love Story” : about financial crisis and Wall Street = real pessimism even among US citizens who don’t believe in the future anymore

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