Recap of Spaces and exchanges

Topic: To what extent can we say that the American Dream is still alive ?

OVERVIEW

Nous allons aborder la notion d’Espaces et d’Echanges sous l’axiome du mythe du Nouveau Rêve Américain.
La problématique sur laquelle nous allons travailler va être de comprendre dans quelle mesure les Etats Unis ont toujours attiré autant d’émigrés.
Cette dynamique qui a fait le succès des Etats Unis est toujours d’actualité à l’heure des flux migratoires vers les pays européens notamment l’Angleterre et l’Allemagne. Les Etats Unis attirent toujours autant d’émigrés même si leurs aspirations diffèrent de celles de leurs prédécesseurs.
Cette thématique nous aide à mettre en évidence la notion de globalisation. Les circuits commerciaux et reseaux d’influence constituent des aires culturelles qui dépassent les frontières géographiques et institutionnelles des Etats. La frontière peut être considérée comme une limite mais aussi comme une protection ou une ouverture vers un espace plus élargi.
L’espace devient fluctuant quand on pense au grand espace virtuel et culturel d’internet. Ainsi, malgré une grande diversité et inégalité au niveau économique et politique, le monde reste un ensemble dans lequel les liens se tissent continuellement. Des échanges de toutes sortes ont lieu dans tous les domaines (arts, histoire, philosophie, politique, religion, pratiques sociales).
Les sociétés sont ainsi travaillées par des conflits entre le  particulier et l’universel, les oppositions entre la tradition et la modernité.

Introduction

We decided to touch the notion of Spaces and Exchanges throuh the following question : « To what extent can we say that the American Dream is still alive ? »

At school, we studied the 4 following texts:

1)I was not unwelcome by Chang Rae Lee, Gesture Life (1999)

2) I still believe in the american Dream by Fareed Zakaria, « How to restore the American Dream », Time, October 21, 2010

 3)The American Dream is still a dream for most minorities, by Philip M. Deutsch, The Tech online edition, Tuesday, February 11, 2003

 and 

4)A successful woman, onlineessays.com, Oprah Winfrey’s influence in America.

To tackle our main topic and question, I will first describe the notion of the American Dream and I will then show you the positive and negative points of the American Dream.

  1. I) The Definition of the American Dream

The American Dream is the notion that the American social, economic and political system makes success possible for every individual. Someone who manages to achieve their version of the American dream is said to be « living the dream ».

The American Dream is not the same for everyone. It has an individual meaning. It is peculiar to every individual. For some people to achieve the American Dream is getting a good job, a big house, food on the table for the family. For others, it may have another meaning such as finding a house in a safe neighborhood, a good school for one’s children, being free and far from war and persecution.

  1. II) The Positive aspects of the American Dream

A)In the first text that we studied, the protagonist who is of Asian origin managed to integrate quite successfully in his new country.

When he arrived no one / a few people seemed to notice him / people seemed rather indifferent. But after some years – 30 years – people seem to appreciate and respect him. Wherever he goes, he is greeted by the local population.

  • Although the narrator expected to be discriminated against rejected / ostracized, people were interested in him and made him feel he was not unwelcomed.

We may think that he was welcomed because he was a doctor and he also play a social part in the society by taking care of people who are sick.

B) The second text is an article from Time. Before going to America, Fareed Zakaria had a mythical idea of America and the American Dream. For him, America was a paradise where everybody lived a wonderful life.The American Dream for him consisted in open land, shiny skyscrapers, fancy cars, cowboy businessmen, sexy actresses… There seemed to be an immense contrast between his native country and the US. By comparison, India seemed far behind. When he came to America on a first visit, the journalist realized it was not what he had imagined. His vision of the American Dream was slightly different.

The situation today is not the same as it used to be. It is a reversed situation. American people seem pessimistic/

discouraged/hopeless about their future whereas Indian people are full of hopes and faith.

 After years of stagnation in India, the whole country is coming out /coming to light.  It is conveying the image of a booming economy.

However, there are reasons for hope.The reasons for optimism are:

  • Economic reasons: America is the largest and the richest market in the world.
  • Demographic reasons: it is the only country in the industrialized world where the population is increasing.
  • Historical reasons: immigrants have contributed to keep the Dream alive.

The American Dream is a part of American history.

  • Cultural and psychological reasons: it’s the only country in the world to have the diversity, the openness, the dynamism which give this country its power / which make this country so powerful and unique.

The diversity, the openness and the dynamism have made this country exceptional and unique. Even if the American economy is not thriving, the US still gives immigrants the opportunity to improve their lives / to remain hopeful for the future / to live in a democracy / to have a shot at the American Dream

This is why Fareed Zakaria is optimistic and values America so much.

III) The Negative aspects of the American Dream

The last text that we studies offers a negative aspect of the American Dream. The author, Philip M. Deutsch regards the American Dream on a more realistic perspective. His position is that « race » is an obstacle which prevents you from attaining the American Dream. He compares the case of White people and Black people in America. The situation of Black people is very alarming. They are more likely to be affected by the plagues of drugs, poverty and illiteracy. Racism  is a social plague. Hence the use in America of the Affirmative action, a quota system. A certain percentage of jobs or school vacancies are reserved for members of a certain group.

Conclusion

As we said before, the American dream is a myth and it has different meanings. I will finish my exposé by emphasizing the fate of a great woman like Oprah Winphrey who is the richest Afro-American woman. Thanks to hard work, her self-confidence, her wit, she succeeded in creating a real financial empire of which every black people is proud of. As she started from nothing and rose to fame, we can say that she is the evidence that the American Dream is still alive.

THE AMERICAN DREAM, A MYTH

PROBLEMATIQUE:

To what extent can we say that the American Dream is still alive?

A DEFINITION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM

Instruction: Watch the video and say what the American Dream means for these people.

The American Dream is the notion that the American social, economic and political system makes success possible for every individual. Someone who manages to achieve their version of the American dream is said to be « living the dream ».

The idea of the American dream is older than the USA itself – it dates back to the 1600s, when people began to have hopes for what was a new and largely unexplored continent to European immigrants. People dreamt of owning land and establishing a prosperous business and hoped that this would make them happier.

The American Dream is not the same for everyone. It has an individual meaning. It is peculiar to every individual. For some people to achieve the American Dream is getting a good job, a big house, food on the table for the family. For others, it may have another meaning such as finding a house in a safe neighborhood, a good school for one’s children, being free and far from war and persecution.

So we realize that  many people criticize the idea of the American dream because they say that it is impossible for everyone to be able to fulfill their dreams – there are still inequalities in class, race, religion and ethnicity preventing people from « living the dream ».

Today’s the definition of the American dream has changed. People no longer wish for being rich and famous. Most people nowadays hope that they will avoid poverty, will get married, have children and live in a traditional home.

LISTE DES TEXTES

Text 1 

I was not unwelcome by Chang Rae Lee, Gesture Life (1999)

Text 2

I still believe in the american Dream by Fareed Zakaria, « How to restore the American Dream », Time, October 21, 2010

 Text 3 

The American Dream is still a dream for most minorities, by Philip M. Deutsch, The Tech online edition, Tuesday, February 11, 2003

 Text 4 

A successful woman, onlineessays.com, Oprah Winfrey’s influence in America (Missions Anglais tle, p.21)

CONCLUSION

1)The new immigrants

Immigration or movement of population is a very old phenomenon. People have moved to other places for a variety of reasons that rank from personal to national reasons. As far asmigration to America is concerned, it is still the case.

America is the first world superpower and as a result attracts/appeals to many people from different countries. So, it is important to know that America has always been a land of immigrants. It is called “a nation of nations” which means that America has welcomed immigrants from various territories.

We know that by the 1900, at the beginning of the XXth century, immigration to America was very important (8thousand people entered the continent). The majority of the immigrants originated from Ireland, Eastern Europe, England.

By the XXIst century, we have the same trend (tendency). Africans, Mexicans and people from Asia make up the majority of the immigrants going to America. In the 1940’s, we had a decrease of the rate of immigrants because of the quota laws.The United States has adopted many different laws regulating the entry of immigrants; sometimes they focused on some nationality like Asian people from 1917 to the 1920’s.

2) Why did people go to America? Why are people still attracted by the myth of the American Dream?

To understand why people go to America, we have to pay attention to the myth of the American Dream.

First of all, the settlers who went to America wanted freedom. America was the land of freedom. When you were persecuted for political or religious reasons you migrated to America. America was a vast and uninhabited continent. We know well the story of the conquest of the west and the indian genocide.

Secondly, America was the land of opportunity. If you were hard working, ambitious and showed determination, you can be successful and become rich in no time at all. This was the case for a Bavarian immigrant called Levi Strauss who sold jeans and became rich.

You have the example of Andrew Carnegie who made his way out of poverty through investing in many projects: bridge building firm, steel company. He was also lucky because after he bought a farm, oil was discovered on his property.

All these stories fuel the imagination and people firmly believe that America is the place to be. All through the 19th century, America benefitted from industrialization and became the richest country in the world.

After America participated in the two world wars, it started to dominate the world economically with the doctrine of liberalism. Also, it began to have an international influence. America then became the policeman of the world trying to wage war against China and communism.

The fact that America is the wealthiest nation explains why people are still eager to migrate to America.

The statue of Liberty still has a powerful impact on people’s psychology.

You also have the myth of the Melting Pot. It is the notion that America is able to integrate people from any nation so that they make one as the political system of America which is a federation of states.

People like Bob Jones (with Apple) or Bill Gates (with Microsoft) who became millionaire because they were smart businessmen.

You have singers like Rihanna, Beyoncé, actors or sportsmen who thanks to their talent could become famous and earn huge sums of money.

One of the best example which support the American Dream (myth) is Obama’s election and reelection. In no country where blacks are a minority you will find a black president. America was able to elect a black president whose parents are from Africa. It’s an unprecedented event in the history of America and the world. And that’s the strength of the American people. That’s why America will continue to attract masses.

Another important idea we must add is the ability of the Americans to transcend themselves, to overcome obstacles, this “sunny attitude” over life, the idea that things can be worse but in America, things will always be better than anywhere else.

This optimism prevailing in America is a crucial element in American appeal.

We must also add that the nature of the American Dream has changed. The American Dream no longer means acquiring wealth, US citizenship, it signifies for the middle class people get consumer goods like big cars and a beautiful house.

PROBLEMATIQUES DE LA NOTION ESPACES ET ECHANGES

INTRODUCTION

 Nous allons aborder la notion d’Espaces et d’Echanges sous l’axiome du mythe du Nouveau Rêve Américain.

La problématique sur laquelle nous allons travailler va être de comprendre dans quelle mesure les Etats Unis ont toujours attiré autant d’émigrés.

Cette dynamique qui a fait le succès des Etats Unis est toujours d’actualité à l’heure des flux migratoires vers les pays européens notamment l’Angleterre et l’Allemagne. Les Etats Unis attirent toujours autant d’émigrés même si leurs aspirations diffèrent de celles de leurs prédécesseurs.

Cette thématique nous aide à mettre en évidence la notion de globalisation. Les circuits commerciaux et reseaux d’influence constituent des aires culturelles qui dépassent les frontières géographiques et institutionnelles des Etats. La frontière peut être considérée comme une limite mais aussi comme une protection ou une ouverture vers un espace plus élargi.

 L’espace devient fluctuant quand on pense au grand espace virtuel et culturel d’internet. Ainsi, malgré une grande diversité et inégalité au niveau économique et politique, le monde reste un ensemble dans lequel les liens se tissent continuellement. Des échanges de toutes sortes ont lieu dans tous les domaines (arts, histoire, philosophie, politique, religion, pratiques sociales).

Les sociétés sont ainsi travaillées par des conflits entre le  particulier et l’universel, les oppositions entre la tradition et la modernité.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NOTION