American Dream ethos/ideals/vision is a great thought and welfare contribution of America to the world including to India
This post is based on a recent comment of mine on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2680388972177663?comment_id=2682337061982854).
I have given below an extract related to "American Dream" from the preface of the book, "The Epic of America" by James Truslow Adams published in 1931, https://books.google.co.in/books?id=VG5QDwAAQBAJ&dq=isbn:1931541337.
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He (the author) has endeavored in particular to trace the beginnings at their several points of entry of such American concepts as “bigger and better,” of our attitude toward business, of many characteristics which are generally considered as being “typically American,” and, in especial, of that American dream of a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank which is the greatest contribution we have as yet made to the thought and welfare of the world. That dream or hope has been present from the start. Ever since we became an independent nation, each generation has seen an uprising of the ordinary Americans to save that dream from the forces which appeared to be overwhelming and dispelling it. Possibly the greatest of these struggles lies just ahead of us at this present time — not a struggle of revolutionists against established order, but of the ordinary man to hold fast to those rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” which were vouchsafed to us in the past in vision and on parchment.
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Here are the contents of the introduction section of the American Dream wiki page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream :
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth.[1]
The American Dream is rooted in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims that "all men are created equal" with the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."[2] Also, the U.S. Constitution promotes similar freedom, in the Preamble: to "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity".
[Wiki Refs:]
1. Library of Congress. American Memory. "What is the American Dream?", lesson plan.
2. Kamp, David (April 2009). "Rethinking the American Dream". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on May 30, 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
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Ravi: As I reflect on the above, I think there is lot of merit in the words of James Truslow Adams (in 1931) mentioned earlier that the American Dream is "the greatest contribution we (Americans) have as yet made to the thought and welfare of the world". I have certainly been inspired by these aspects of American life that I saw directly during my stints in the USA (in second half of 1980s and early 1990s), and indirectly through my many past & current interactions with Americans while being based in India or (in the past) in Europe, USA government leadership in world affairs in post World War 2 period (which has been the period of my lifetime) and the industries & services created largely by American leadership like the software industry (where I earned my livelihood), Hollywood movie industry and the awesome technological innovation of the Internet (which is what I am using to put up this post).
[I thank the author & publisher of "The Epic of America" and Wikipedia, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their book/website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
I have given below an extract related to "American Dream" from the preface of the book, "The Epic of America" by James Truslow Adams published in 1931, https://books.google.co.in/books?id=VG5QDwAAQBAJ&dq=isbn:1931541337.
--- start extract ---
He (the author) has endeavored in particular to trace the beginnings at their several points of entry of such American concepts as “bigger and better,” of our attitude toward business, of many characteristics which are generally considered as being “typically American,” and, in especial, of that American dream of a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank which is the greatest contribution we have as yet made to the thought and welfare of the world. That dream or hope has been present from the start. Ever since we became an independent nation, each generation has seen an uprising of the ordinary Americans to save that dream from the forces which appeared to be overwhelming and dispelling it. Possibly the greatest of these struggles lies just ahead of us at this present time — not a struggle of revolutionists against established order, but of the ordinary man to hold fast to those rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” which were vouchsafed to us in the past in vision and on parchment.
--- end extract ---
Here are the contents of the introduction section of the American Dream wiki page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream :
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth.[1]
The American Dream is rooted in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims that "all men are created equal" with the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."[2] Also, the U.S. Constitution promotes similar freedom, in the Preamble: to "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity".
[Wiki Refs:]
1. Library of Congress. American Memory. "What is the American Dream?", lesson plan.
2. Kamp, David (April 2009). "Rethinking the American Dream". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on May 30, 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
--- end wiki extract ---
Ravi: As I reflect on the above, I think there is lot of merit in the words of James Truslow Adams (in 1931) mentioned earlier that the American Dream is "the greatest contribution we (Americans) have as yet made to the thought and welfare of the world". I have certainly been inspired by these aspects of American life that I saw directly during my stints in the USA (in second half of 1980s and early 1990s), and indirectly through my many past & current interactions with Americans while being based in India or (in the past) in Europe, USA government leadership in world affairs in post World War 2 period (which has been the period of my lifetime) and the industries & services created largely by American leadership like the software industry (where I earned my livelihood), Hollywood movie industry and the awesome technological innovation of the Internet (which is what I am using to put up this post).
[I thank the author & publisher of "The Epic of America" and Wikipedia, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their book/website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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