"Breathing Dreams Like Air..."

"The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"-Someone

   I suppose my first exposure to the American Dream came with watching Shark Tank when I was in middle school; the five 'sharks' were always commending the aspiring entrepreneurs if they achieved this concept. As a result, it shaped my perception of this dream to be quite monetary, since I associated it with the success that comes with a business or enterprise. Now that I have a better understanding of what the American Dream is actually meant to be, I understand the typical belief is that it is self-made. This does not mean it relies on strictly business ventures, but rather taking advantage of the "unalienable" rights guaranteed in the Constitution to achieve even the wildest parts of your imagination. This could be finding a hobby you are passionate about and perfecting it, creating a family, or even taking lifelong risks that could either promote or desiccate your happiness. As a result, the American Dream is not simply intangible success, but a physical manifestation of your deepest desires.
      As I mentioned previously, wealth is a topic people commonly associate with the American Dream since those in hard financial situations want to achieve a debt-free lifestyle. Yet, the definition of wealth is not as simple as how much a person makes in dollars, but also several other monetary and social factors. I will be honest, my first thought when I hear wealth typically revolves around money since this is the most common meaning of the word. However, as cheesy as it sounds, strong relationships with friends, family, and God are the most priceless. Even though the American Dream is unobtainable for many when it comes to financial security, a person can still aspire to be wealthy in the people they always rely on and the joyful emotions they evoke.
     Although I wish life was as simple as everyone achieving their dreams, I understand financial wealth and poverty will always be a dividing line between the national population and the world. American society, like in The Great Gatsby, has always bred citizens with the mindset that money is power. Perhaps this is true in many ways, such as how we see wealthy individuals with key positions in government and their access to innumerable resources. Society also tends to view its impoverished citizens as lazy with the belief they are choosing to not work harder to better themselves. Yet, my mindset is not as clear-cut as this one, because I understand there are sides to every story. The American Dream, and the happiness associated with it, is not reflective of income only. For example, I learned this year that white, middle to upper class males are the most likely to commit suicide, and those who have a household income of over $75,000 are more likely to have domestic problems. This shows how having money may look optimal to those on the outside, but in reality it may be causing even more problems. As for those in poverty, it certainly is not an ideal situation and of course they wish to escape it, but the values of hard work will hopefully pay off in the future for these individuals. Whatever a person's situation or version of the American Dream is, it is up to the rest of us to treat everyone with equal respect and hope others give the same to us.