The American Dream

1. I imagine the American Dream as the freedom to pursue life the way you want it to be lived with equal opportunity to do so, which may be skewed by the perspective of the individual. Those pursuing the American Dream seek a successful life in means of wealth, status, or happiness as seen from their point of view. In the 1920’s, more commonly, monetary status reflected society’s perception on an individual, as their income had a significant influence on their image, and image meant everything because of the influence of materialism. 
2. The first thing to come to mind when mentioning the word “wealth” is the monetary value associated with this word choice. Although to many, wealth can be interpreted in varying ways. In my mind, wealth may determine how someone fulfills their life, and the quality of their actions rather than the monetary perspective on wealth. 
3. Americans strive for wealth, whether this is monetary or happiness, and most make it their primary goal in life to reach. This is because many correlate the idea of wealth to a person’s value in society, and allows it to represent how successful they are. People seek wealth because they believe it gives them power or pride. Poverty, however, may be seen as the lowest point and is something that nobody wishes to pursue because of the negative connotation. 
4. My attitude towards wealth and poverty aligns with the general American view, although I like to think I stray away from the idea of only allowing a certain percentage of people to obtain wealth. The American Dream should be available to everyone who wishes to pursue it, although obviously not everyone can be the richest of the rich. Basic necessities can go a long way, and preventing as many people from reaching poverty as possible is a central goal, as far fetched as it may seem.