Must Be Dreaming

As written in James Truslow Adams' 1931 book, The Epic of America, reprinted in the Library of Congress, the "American Dream" is "a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain the to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable... with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement (Adams). Looking exclusively at the bolded words, "social order, shall be able to attain the fullest stature according to ability or achievement." More simple put, if one has ability or achievements, they should have no problems in achieving the social order in which they so desire. Is it that simple though?


I'm writing this post on a MacBook Pro Laptop. Any endeavors I've ever wanted to pursue have been accommodated by my parents. My parents. The emphasis on parents is crucial in these circumstances. A New York Times article reported that "children generally follow their parents' educational trajectory, that premium increases the importance of family background and stymies people with less schooling." The conclusion that can be drawn from this article is that since children follow their parents' educational trajectory, a child's parents depict a large portion of which social class they fall under as adults.

My parents provided me with the opportunity of attending New Trier High School, one of the most renowned schools in the entire country. This opportunity they provided me with has given me a world class education, which greatly increases my odds of staying in the upper class as an adult. As I am writing this, our family's landscapers are working outside. One worker jumped out at me in particular. A boy. Appearing well younger than I am, he is mowing my lawn. Something I have never done in my life and frankly, don't know how to do. Tonight is a school night, as I am working on my school work, he is doing manual labor, working presumably for his father. His father, another landscaper, probably didn't receive a high-class education, which created this cycle for his son to most likely follow.

Without a question of a doubt, this boy has ability and the work-ethic apparently required to achieve the social order in which James Truslow Adams so clearly laid out. However, it's just not that simple. America is largely on a vicious cycle where upper class families remain in the upper class and lower class families keep steadfast in the lower. The American Dream has revealed itself to be a myth: something that looks good on paper, but isn't legitimate.

The opportunities presented to me in my life have basically made certain my continuity on the upper class path. The most brutal part about the American "caste" is even if the working boy has more talent, desire and ability than I do, it's incredibly unlikely that he will surpass me in social order. This ever apparent cycle is a brutal realization made clear to me by the work of this one boy.

What do you think about social order in America? Do you feel it is predetermined based on the opportunities presented to you in your life? Share your thoughts!