In the twenty-first century, despite the American Dream do not have an exact definition, Carballo (2019, 22) and Cullen (2003, 06), assume that it became a structure that keeps the character and the identity of the U.S as a nation, which one can see throughout the history. Sometimes, as Cullen (2003, 05) stated, the term American Dream is “more meaningful and compelling than some terms, for instance, democracy or even Constitution”. Moreover, besides those author mentioned other authors also has their own conception about the meaning of the term American Dream. So, nowadays the term for Carballo (2019, 25), for example, is based on individualism, since it is a result of individual efforts, work, and skills. Pollina (2003), also, adds to that a capitalist scope whereby the American Dream is the idea that free markets, industry, science, and technology would lead to peace, justice, and abundance. In other words, these definitions demonstrate that this dream is about how to get success in the capitalist world whereby the American Way of Life is the way to reach that.
Inside the American Dream definitions, one can note many scholars take into account the freedom (to live life in the way one chooses ) component to explain this concept but in conjunction with other elements. Pollina (2003), for example, considers that freedom indeed is an American Dream element, but he recognizes, at the same time, that opportunity also is part of this dream. It makes sense since the U.S. is also called the “land of opportunities” (Pollina 2003). Some authors still add to these components of social mobility – through hard work. According to Norton (2011, 44), “social mobility has become one of the mainstays that sustains the idea of the American Dream”. In this sense, for Stoll (2009, 402), the American Dream, basically, is the assumption that no matter how poor one starts, people have the possibility to achieve a better life for themselves and for their families. Cullen (2003, 09), in his turn, despite of identifies the pluralistic nature of the word freedom, agrees that the American Dream definition is linked to it. For him (2003, 09), freedom nowadays is used as a slogan for marketers and conservative ideologues who want to get supporters for their causes and purposes (Cullen 2003, 09). Moreover, he (2003, 09) emphasizes the role of transnational corporations in the spread of this dream and their intentions, since nowadays they are shaping the lives of the citizens more than local government (Cullen 2003, 06). At the same time, he also states that both, government and transnational corporations, try to reach their interests using the American Dream, but in many cases, they omit the costs of it for society and for the world (Carballo 2019, 25). In this way, one can state that these elements – freedom, opportunity, and social mobility – represent some of the attraction factors to people migrating to the U.S.
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