The American Dream. Pursued by many and redefined over the years, it is basically the goal of the pursuit of happiness. As an American I strive to be happy and take advantage of the opportunities presented to me in this great country. I also want to learn more so that I can become an intelligent voter and better the country. As a people we have some in common but also we are much different with our versatile culture and people. One thing we have in common is fads. People are always keeping up with the fad and wearing the hip clothing. A second thing we have in common is patriotism, or national pride. As screwed up as the country can seem sometimes we know how this country started and what it is capable of.
Like most people in America one of my goals is to become successful in my work, whatever it is, and helpful in my community. However I go about this I hope to with respect for myself and others and pride in my work. One thing that seems common in my life is "half-assing" things. I see it in others too, not finishing their work or just doing it not to their full capabilities. This laziness I can relate to seeing as how I do not do everything full heartedly as well, but I have been watching the news lately and foreign movies and it seems as if the stereotype of Americans is overweight, lazy, and unintelligent. Sure, I am lazy and sometimes slightly incompetent but far from stupid and overweight, as is many Americans. Not everyone is white, and a Christian, this is a country of many different peoples and religions. I do not think you can stereotype America because the minority is still very large. One thing I need to learn more about is politics. I must be educated to vote correctly and there are some issues now days that I just do not understand, however see both sides of the issue. For instance the popular immigration laws. I understand everyone in the U.S. at one time was an immigrant, and it seems as soon as we get in we shut the door on everyone else. The only true Americans were the natives and we wiped them out. If immigrants take our jobs then so be it. They worked harder for it and why should we keep them out of a fantastic country? Of course, there is the fact that most of them are uneducated and produce even more uneducated children. So than how about some law that teaches people how to function in the U.S. and teaches us how to work harder and be smarter. Negatives aside, America is the land of opportunity and full of hope. The opportunities are endless, and sometimes I feel like a king. I imagine children living in some rural country such as Africa in the slums, and how they eat clay just to stop their stomachs from growling. This brings me to another point and stereotype. One, that is that many American teenagers and children take for granted what they have complain about their lives when they would be considered extremely wealthy in some other time period or place. Basically it is never enough for Americans. Not enough oil, not enough land, not enough food, energy, children, cars, things. Sure, the lifespan of an average person has risen in the past one hundred years but what about the quality of life. It seems people are more depressed, striving for more now than before. Back in the 1840's most middle class workers were content with living out a meager existence living off the land. I am by no means saying the middle class does not work hard or should suck it up because the middle class is the backbone of the country and I happen to be one. I am saying that maybe we all lost something along the way. Something a big screen TV or drugs cannot fix. 