Critical Thinking & Critical Perspective:

Reaching My American Dream

I am a searcher for this chapter

Based on the ideas presented in this chapter by Mr, Logan Shook, I want to put into practice my critical thinking toward the critical perspective of the American dream from the perspective of an immigrant. Mr. Shook says that to exercise critical thinking you need to investigate what you want to defend or criticize, in this case, I want to share my personal experience in regards of a critical perspective related with the American dream in the context of my immigrant experience.

From my point of view, each and everyone of us have his/her own opinion in regards of the American dream. In my case, I see that there are different reasons why people from different countries come to the USA. In my case, the major reason was to accomplish what I could not accomplish in my own country, to become what I wanted to be. I know for a fact that if you work hard, you will accomplish the American dream due to the opportunities this country offers to all who happens to live here. Before continuing with this reflection, let's explore what the American dream is.

What is the American Dream

Source: prezi.com

In her book Facing up to the American dream, the author defines the American dream with these words: "The American dream consists of tenents about achieving success " (15). After defining the American dream in these terms, Hochschild continues explaining what "success" implies and she adds, "People most often define success as the attainment of high income and prestigious job, economic security (15)". She then adds that success can not be seen only in economic terms, there are other ways to be successful and that could be by feeling the sense of "accomplishment" (16), and how people could seek it by different ways like earning a degree or finding a job. This author also says that "A definition of success involves measurement as well as content. Success can be measured in at least three ways, (..) First, it can be absolute. In this case achieving the American dream implies reaching some threshold of well-being, higher than where one began but not necessarily dazzling. As Bruce Springsteen puts it, "I don't think the American dream was that everybody was going to have an opportunity and the chance to live a life with some decency and some dignity and a chance for some self-respect". Second, success can be relative. Here achieving the American dream consists in becoming better off than some comparison point, whether one's childhood, people in the old country, one's neighbors, a character from a book, another race or gender --anything or anyone that one measures oneself against. Relative success implies no threshold of well-being, and it may or may not entail continually changing the comparison group as one achieves a given level of accomplishment. (...) Success can, alternative, be competitive--achieving victory over someone else. My success implies your failure. Competitors are usually people, whether known and concrete (opponents in a tennis match) or known and abstract (all other applicants for a job).

Reflection

Source: www.theatlantic.com

Based on the ideas of Hochschid, each and every one of us have his/her own idea of success. In particular, in my case, as an immigrant in the USA, I confidently can say that I consider myself successful because I have accomplished the American dream in my own terms. As it is described in the picture above, for me, the most important aspect to reach my goals in my new life in the USA was the opportunity this country gave me to obtain my education and get an excellent job, these two things were impossible to attain in my country due to economic constrains and the safety issues generated by the violence related to the illegal drug business that affected all in my country. Furthermore, I have the great accomplishment to give my family, specially my daughters, what Bruce Springsteen says above, "the chance to live a life with decency and dignity and a chance for self-respect". Having all kinds of freedoms to choose what I want to be or do is part of what this great nation is about and anyone coming from other country and/or being born here is able to reach with determination and hard work! 

References

Hochschild, J. L. (1996). Facing up to the American dream: Race, class, and the soul of the nation. Princeton University Press.

Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.