The New American Dream: Crafting Ones Own America

The American Dream is changing to one whereby individual citizens have input and control over their world such that they have the opportunity to live free and define their own measures for success.

The traditional dream of being free and working hard which subsequently leads to financial success has become antiquated as most people no longer feel that the system is fair or accessible to them. America's domestic economy has evolved into a tremendously inequitable system whereby a financial oligarchy has complete control over it and manipulates the system to their advantage at the expense of the many.  Many Americans do not even have the ability to strive for an improvement to their existing situation as the middle class formula for growth has diminished. Even a minimal goal of home ownership has eroded for way too many people.

Americans now feel the USA is a place where they are manipulated and controlled to the point that they have no contribution or input into the current system.  This unease with the current system is the root of the social unrest we are witnessing. The Tea Party movement is a social movement to affect political control and the 1/99 movement is a protest over economic inequality. Though each movement represents a very different philosophy, both are the same in their origins in that all the members are asking for is the same thing...access and influence for more American citizens.

The evolving new definition of the "American Dream" is one in which individuals feel they have the ability to influence and craft their own immediate community so that they can have a platform for success.  Success itself  is also being redefined as less of a financial reward but rather one in which American culture, society and the economy is more equitable and accessible to everyone.