American Dream in the Balance

This reports on the findings of a September 2008 online survey of American adults by JWT explores what the American Dream means today, how that definition has changed over the years and how it has remained constant.

American Dream in the Balance

INTRODUCTION

As a throwaway line, “the American Dream” passes with a nod and barely a second thought. You can say, “He's living the American Dream” or “They believe in the American Dream” and few people will want to know just what you mean by “the American Dream.” For many years, people in the United States and far beyond have inferred for themselves what's meant by the American Dream: the Pilgrim fathers, pioneering settlers, rugged individualism, the Statue of Liberty, the Wild West, Big Sky country, Gatsby, JFK, MLK, Marilyn Monroe, Silicon Valley, Wall Street, Broadway,...

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