What is the American Dream?
The American Dream is the idea of getting ahead, being successful, and achieving ones goals no matter how big they may be. This dream is based on a system of mertiocracy - "a social system as a whole in which individuals get ahead and earn rewards in direct proporition to their individual efforts and abilities" (McNamee 2). It is composed of four tenets according to Jennifer Hochschild in her Facing the American Dream: " (1) who-everyone regardless of origin or station, (2) what - reasonable anticipation or the hopefullness of sucess, (3) how-through actions under one's individual control, and (4) why - because of the association of true success with virture..." (McNamee 2). These tenets sumed up bascially means anyone who puts forth the effort and hard work will be rewarded with their American Dream (Mcnamme 2).