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I chose to listen to the short audio bit "top 20 percent of Americans hoard the American Dream." Obviously based on the title I knew it would be something I could relate to, and after listening I feel more upset about the current financial culture we take part in. I've often wondered why there is so little moral cause to appeal to every member of society without caveat, and how morals commonly instilled through popular culture suggest those with financial security obtain it through hard work and diligence despite evidence showing it has much more to do with class and nepotism. The guest speaker in the audio makes a good point when he confesses he misses the class hierarchy of the UK, as they at the very least are aware there is a hierarchy, whereas in the States we all subconsciously believe we are part of the middle class except for those at the very very top. He suggests the brutality of American financial culture has just as much to do with the gatekeepers at the top 20%, not just the 1%. Those who exclude others from resources and opportunities based on financial income are a significant problem, and I have to agree.

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I selected the audio “ buried in debt, young people find dreams elusive” and “Hollywood dreams of wealth, youth and beauty”. I selected them because they both stood out to me because I think it’s something that's directly or indirectly impacted the majority of people. The one that resonates more with me was the one about debt. As a college student, you quickly learn the realities of how much getting a degree will cost you, and it is alarming. It always veers many away from pursuing an education because of fear of debt. There are all these great resources and opportunities for higher education in this country, yet not everyone is able to obtain it based on their financial situation.When the podcast mentioned that the girl was going to be in debt until 2034 it really put into perspective how astronomical the amount of money that goes into college, and it really is burdensome. It confuses me as to why it costs so much to obtain a degree, and as someone getting their bachelor's and has their eye set on law school, it does get frustrating and I think it's something anyone can relate to. I value education and see the merit in it, and financing it should not be such an obstacle. I think these realities could definitely have some light shed on them. This leads to the Hollywood audio, which discusses perceptions of America vs realities. Although there are many opportunities and positives in American culture, I think it's important to shed light on the fact that it still requires hard work. Like the recording was saying,  people that first come and see new cars everywhere it creates an image that looks good but what they don't see are car payments and credit cards maxed out. Many see a picket fence idealistic living on tv and assume the notion that that's what you get when you come here, but don't see what goes on behind the scenes because Hollywood eludes from it. When my parents came to America, I remember them telling me with how shocked they were on how places like New York looked and other parts in comparison to European cities. They always had this golden image of what it looks like and had a bit of a shock when they saw reality. As appreciative as they are of the opportunity to make a life here, it goes to show much much this dream can be “edited” through things like Hollywood.

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Audio #1: Rebirth from Millionaire, to Prisoner, to Pastor

Audio #2: Buried in Debt, Young People Find Dreams Elusive

I selected the first audio because I was very interested in this Vernon Jackson’s story. I always want to hear the story of individuals who go through challenges, yet do not get discouraged by them, and find something good from their experience. I think they are very inspiring and it makes me realize that positives can be found within any situation. I selected the second audio because I feel like it is something very important to address right now, especially with the recent 11% tuition increase here at Portland State University next year. So many individuals are graduating college with overbearing student loans and it will take a portion of their lives to repay them. Though I thought Vernon Jackson has an amazing story to tell, I related to the audio about student debt. I am two weeks away from graduating myself and trying to calculate how many years it will take to pay off loans and how much per month I will be paying can be stressful and overbearing. It is just wild that this individual who spoke in the audio had to take out the amount of loans that would be equivalent to purchasing four brand new cars, just to afford a good education. I think that the first audio, Vernon Jackson’s story, could be implemented into a lesson about American/Portland culture. In my opinion, Vernon Jackson’s story portrays a little bit of what America tries to stand for; second chances and a success story. Part of the American culture is to not give up when things are grim, and to try to find positives through the negatives. Vernon Jackson found a way to come out with a positive outlook from a negative experience. When it comes to the second audio that talked about student debt, a lesson could be taken with the approach of also never giving up. It is important to be aware of student debt, but do not let it be discouraging. Another thing about American culture is working hard, and students definitely work hard to get a solid education while preparing for what comes after college.

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I listened to “Globals” Generation Focuses On Experience, and Buried In Debt, Young People Find Dreams Elusive.  I selected them because they felt relative to my experience as a twenty something. I’ve traveled abroad, and can say that the experience of doing so is something I value above material possession. It gave me a new perspective both on my upbringing, and many cultural values that were instilled in me at a young age. I also have student loans. Thankfully not too much compared to most, but I can say that they loom over you, and are difficult to keep off your mind. It’ll be awhile before I can pay them off, and I won’t feel done with my education until I do. This podcast definitely resonated with me more, because I know that traveling and gaining experience isn’t an option for a lot of young people. A lot of us are trapped in school, at jobs, or paying off loans, which prevents us from stepping outside our circles. Some people may even resent such an idea, because they are unable to do so, or it is far off in their future. In addition, many people leave the education system and aren’t able to find a good paying job. They aren’t able to keep up with loan payments when working minimum wage, and are usually resigned to moving back in with their parents or resort to living with several roommates in small living quarters. This can damage the pride of an individual, and make it even more difficult to be positive. These ideas are all examples of American culture, in the sense that they exhibit the expectations of young adults. We are expected to be independent, self sufficient, ambitious, and have everything figured out once we’re done with college. These stereotypes and expectations can be damaging to individuals if they don’t follow the typical path.

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The audios I listened for this assignment were: Immigration Law Slows A Family's March Forward and Reporting the American Dream.

https://www.npr.org/2012/06/14/154946279/immigration-law-slows-a-familys-march-forward

https://www.npr.org/2012/05/27/153812448/reporting-the-american-dream

The audio on the family who have been living in America from years legally, and still sometimes face problems was interesting and sad at the same time. America is a place where people from all over the world come together to live and share their experiences with one another. It is also a place which welcomes all. I can imagine how hard it can be for people who are born here and still have to prove that they are citizens. I also believe that every individual has their own definition of the American Dream, which is why the route to achieve the dream is very different from one another.

I selected this audio because I was interested in knowing how immigration laws are affecting families who have been in America from years legally. Before listening to the audio I didn’t think how it could affect everyone. An idea that we can include in our lesson is to treat everyone the same and not discriminate on the basis of their color, nationality or gender.

The other audio I listened to was Reporting The American Dream. In this audio, the journalist Ari Shapiro talks about how we can measure if we are getting closer to the American Dream by the fact if the kids are doing better and making more money than their parents. In reality, the difference between the parent’s income and their kid’s income differ by a very small amount. I chose this audio because I was curious about what politicians and journalists think about the American dream. This audio resonated with me more because it was more based on statistics and facts. Something we can include in our lessons could be a little about politics here and there and teach students about how politics works in America. The other journalist, John Ydstie talks about the inequality in opportunity and pay.

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Hollywood Dreams Of Wealth, Youth And Beauty
Buried In Debt, Young People Find Dreams Elusive

I chose these two because they show what the original American dream was like as well as a more recent ideal.
I can relate to the second where living a dream and getting an education makes it possible to live a certain way but with so much loans someone could have or how long we now have to work it is hard to live the dream. This is a reality for many  students and even though I wont have really any loans I could have very easily fell under this financial burden. I also think I am a product of this generation where education is worth something and a career doing what I love is more important then getting the most money to be able to buy a house doing any job that I could hate. I think this is the American dream for most people now.

It was really interesting though to listen the the Hollywood dreams of Wealth and Beauty because it shows how television and film industry shaped the American Dream during this time after WW2. During this golden age it is really about the individual doing whatever they need to have a family, a house, even if they may hate the jobs they need to do to get it. This is how I take it anyway. Also upward mobility was heavily emphasised and diversity is nowhere in this conversation.

I think for a Lesson plan we could talk first about what they think the American dream is and then talk about which is more important?

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Which audios did you listen to and why did you select them?

I selected to the audioes titled, “Hollywood Dreams Of Wealth, Youth And Beauty” and “Buried In Debt, Young People Find Dreams Elusive.” Before listening to these audios I picked them based on the simple connection they have made to me and my life and the American Dream. I come from a family line of beauty queens who ran for Miss USA, actors, and actresses in the Hollywood industry. In result the Hollywood Dreams Wealth and Beauty peaked my interest. The second audio based on the briefing described the massive debt youth are in from student loans. Although I have minimal students loans, this topic appealed to me.

Did one resonate more with you? Which and why?

“Hollywood Dreams Of Wealth, Youth And Beauty” resonated with me the most and made connections to other stories I have heard about people pursuing their American Dream. Hollywood paints a perfect image that if one partakes or is lucky enough to participate in the Hollywood industry they will live a happy and luxurious life, not! This audio made me think about a man named Tommy Wiseau. Some of you may know him as the ambitious immigrant who wrote, directed, and starred in the worst Hollywood film of all time, The Room. I have met this individual and he has said that his American Dream was making it big in hollywood as a star.

What ideas did you get from the audios that you believe could be included in a lesson about American/Portland Culture?

I believe their needs to be a lesson on the reality of Hollywood and showbiz in America. A lot of people who have not been to the US or know about hollywood and imagine it is glamorous and is part of the American dream, but it really isn't all that glamorous. There is a darkness to the entertainment industry in Hollywood and it influences american culture in a negative way.

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Which audios did you listen to and why did you select them

I chose “Persuading banks to give homeowners a break” and “Buried in debt, young people find dreams elusive”. I chose these because they deal with topics I'm interested in. The first audio clip deals with diminishing homeownership, abuses by banks which lead to foreclosures, taking preventative measures against future foreclosures, and using direct action as a negotiation tool. The second audio clip deals in how the burden of educational debt effects intergenerational progress, how milestones and metrics of success differ between generations.

Did one resonate more with you? Which and why?

I was initially more interested in the first audio clip, as it dealt with ordinary citizen's ability to force large banks to renegotiate the terms of disadvantageous loans. However, the second audio clip struck a little bit closer to home, as the differences in generational milestones between my generation and my parent's generation is very noticeable. While moth my mother and I share similar trajectories, as she also graduated college in her late 20s with a large amount of debt and as a result wasn't able to purchase a home until much later in life, I've noticed that parents of friends who were born into a more prosperous era eschewed higher ed, were able to find middle-class blue collar jobs, and enjoyed financial stability and the associated milestones (home ownership, marriage, starting a family, ect.) much earlier. Also, I felt that the comparison for metrics of success (younger generations of adults having higher degrees of education and higher paying jobs, but considerably more of it being siphoned away from debt and less equity overall) was important, and probably the most defining distinction between older and younger generations.

What ideas did you get from the audios that you believe could be included in a lesson plan for the school kids?

For primary schoolchildren, it's hard to say. I think it's important to make children aware of the material realities of the world they're going to grow into adulthood in, while also taking care not to be overly deterministic about what that means for them. However, I'm not sure how to work in the concept that the way their parents approached adulthood was different than how they'll approach adulthood themselves and the economic factors at play, or how to present that information to young children.

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Black Star: I originally chose this video because out of all the topics, Black Star was a group that I have not only heard of, but also have some of their music on my iTunes currently. I did not see a podcast for this topic, so my response is based off the article posted under their name. Black Star is a rap group made up of Mos Def and Talib Kweli, they created lyrically strong content together and became one of the most prolific rapping duos in the genres history. The article speaks specifically to the song, “Respiration.” This song exemplifies the idea of the American dream. The author mentions the song , “has taught me something about how to love a city's complicated dreams. And the song has life in it yet, a few hundred more listens, at least.” This song pulls together the struggles and dreams that encompass American culture.

Prince: The next topic that I will be discussing is, “My American Dream Sounds Like Prince's 'Sign O' The Times'.” This song debuted in February 1987. This song discussed the issues that Black Americans faced during this time. Today, many of the issues Prince discussed in his music are still prevalent today. Prince used what many Americans viewed as a nightmare into something that could be used as agency to achieve the American dream.

The listening that resonated with me most was the Black Star listening. This is mostly because out of all the topics this was the most familiar. Prince’s listening also resonated because my wife’s mother adored Prince, so I too became a Prince fan. However, Black Star resonated more than Prince’s listening due to the genuine interest I have in their music. Black Star’s lyrics give me goosebumps as I read them. In today’s rap we do not look to it for lyricism, but rather something we can nod our heads to. This art form does not exist in today’s music, so the importance of what Black Star did for Black America is something we will never get to thank them enough for.

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For this assignment I picked the audio Korean families chase their dreams in the U.S. and i also listened to rebirth: From Millionaire to prisoner to pastor. I thought that the titles for both of these audio tracks where very interesting and that is the main reason why i picked them for the assignment. I think that both were equally interesting however it was especially interesting hearing the pastors story about how he started his business and worked for ATT for 20 years. I thought that his struggle as a business owner was very admirable especially how he came back every time he failed to do something. I also thought it was really sad that he got caught up with the politician because of the ambition to be successful. I think the other person definitely saw that he was in a vulnerable position and took advantage for his own personal gain. For the other audio track about the koran families , I found it very interesting that they thought about it like vacation for the children attending school. I think that it's definitely true that korean and asian culture places a lot of emphasis on work and being the best that you can be. That being said i do think that the US has a much more relaxed education system that is not as rigid. I also thought it was very interesting that being a student in the united states elevated their social status back at home. It just makes me wonder why the start of the audio made it seem like it was a struggle for families to spend time apart when some of them are in the us and others are in korea when the main objective is to have a different cultural approach and elevate their social status.

I think the conception of america is that its a place where people from all parts of the world come and try to make a name for the,selves. I think it could be really interesting to explain the drive that some people might have and how that affects the person that they are because they couldn't be that in their country of origin.

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My American Dream Sounds like Ruben Blades and Prince

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My American Dream Sounds like Ruben Blades and Prince

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I selected two audio segments:

My American Dream Sounds Like Rubén Blades:

https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/07/10/155838779/my-american-dream-sounds-like-rub-n-blades

and My American Dream Sounds Like Prince's 'Sign O' The Times':

https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/06/14/154848630/my-american-dream-sounds-like-prince

Did one resonate more with you? Which and why?

I believe I felt that I resonated to a greater extent with the first segment by historian Robin Kelly. He chose Ruben Blades' anthem, Buscando America, which best captures Kelly's version of the American dream, informed by the story of his mother's immigration to the states, where she was consistently his walls of discrimination at every turn. This resonated with me because my parents also immigrated to the United States in the early 90's and had a difficult time integrating into society, and finding solid ground to grow their family on, away from the religious persecution in the Soviet Union at the time. Kelly explains that Buscando America is not a story of rags to riches story, but one of democratic promise. I see that prevalently in the lives of my parents, and appreciate the sentiment greatly.

From Robin Kelly's audio, I think an important thought that could be included in a lesson about American/Portland culture is that the American dream is not a dream of individual success but of democracy and social justice, and that Finding America means realizing the dreams of democracy, justice and equal rights. I see this as a very central theme in Portland, and it strikes me as one of the most important topics that is spoken on amongst the people of our city. From Miles Marshall Lewis, we hear some sound contribution to a lesson plan about American/Portland culture when he mentions that the American dream for us always represents the possibility of success and affluence on our own terms. He talks about the music culture around hip hop, and then describes how Prince's Sign of the Times takes an honest glance at the nations ill's, and examines issues that were critical in the US in the time that the song was made. This points to how the music and media leaders in United States often take a position of showing and reflecting the culture at large, and the issues surrounding it, especially around social justice, performing as first rate moth pieces for their audiences.

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Hollywood Dreams of Wealth, Youth and Beauty

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Hollywood Dreams of Wealth, Youth and Beauty

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Which audios did you listen to and why did you select them?

My American Dream Sounds Like The Jackson 5

Hollywood Dreams Of Wealth, Youth And Beauty

Did one resonate more with you? Which and why?

The audio, Hollywood Dreams Of Wealth, Youth And Beauty, resonating with me the most because they did a great job of explaining how Hollywood created what we have “learned” is the “American Dream”. This audio was intriguing because I had not thought about Hollywood as such a contributor to what we generally consider the American Dream. Beauty, wealth and even race plays a part in this so-called Dream. As I think back to some old movie’s I use to watch with my grandma I can see that this is very relevant but went undetected by me. Most main characters in old time films were white, beautiful/handsome and successful. If the character was not successful, they lacked love, material possessions and money.

What ideas did you get from the audios that you believe could be included in a lesson about American/Portland Culture?

I think that so much for this audio could be included in a lesson about American/Portland Culture. The idea that you are living the Dream if you are wealthy, beautiful and without needs is so ingrained into our culture that even I don’t realize it. I know that personally I long for success, wealth and beauty and think that if I can have all three of these things, I will be living a happy and fulfilling life. I think that these ideas are shared among our community even if it is not something that someone will admit, it is ingrained in us and has been from the start of Hollywood films and probably before. Our culture is largely influenced by all types of media whether it be magazines, Facebook, Instagram, twitter, movies, TV
shows, etc. We are constantly encouraged to live a certain way, eat a certain way, dress a certain way and even make money a certain way. This Hollywood creation of the American Dream lives on in today's culture in America and Portland.