Reliving the American dream

For the vast majority of Americans, living the American dream resonates a successful life. This concept, introduced by historian John Truslow Adams, has inspired people to reach for their destiny through hard work and freedom of choice. However, with a whopping $130,000 a year, the estimated annual cost for the average family of four according to USA Today, is the American dream a dying platitude?

Several middle-class Americans today think that living the American dream is getting harder each day. CNNMoney's American Dream Poll and ORC International showed that six in 10 respondents said that the dream is unreachable. They have every reason to despair since they have gone through one of the worst recessions in recent history. And while most Americans are on the rebound, many are still suffering the recession aftermath. For them, the struggle to return to their normal lives continues.

Image Source: npr.org

Yet, difficult as it sounds, there is still much to do to recapture the dream. According to a TIME Magazine article entitled “How to restore the American dream,” there are ways to do this, but they involve arduous adjustments. One of which is embracing globalization and technology now more than ever. Another key path is moving up from doing mere consumption to making profitable investments. A third solution is having better education and training for the workforce, including job retraining and employee development.

It is time ordinary Americans rethink their perception of what the American dream is today because the notion has evolved with time since its conceptualization. Americans have to navigate through painful changes, just like what the corporate world has done.

Restoring the American dream is not easy, but there is always a way to start and sustain it in the long run. Find more related stories by visiting this Pete Scamardo blog/a>.