I always found it interesting how American culture is very different than many other cultures in that American culture is a melting pot of all these different cultures. Of course this is true everywhere you go as many different ethnicities live is vastly different places then where their from. But the American dream has a ring to it, because America is held as a country where you can achieve your dreams. I believe that it is important to outline how important this is to many immigrant families who come here to achieve that dream. The America dream is something everyone can experience because fundamentally it's a hope for a better future. 

I listened to Buried in Debt because it really resonated with how I feel about my own future and fear of paying off student loans for years to come. As a student who has intentions to apply to a CNM program, I am looking at another large chunk of loans that will add to my already large sum. I understand the concept that eventually I will have a job that pays really well and I can pay off those loans, but it’s incredibly daunting. The individual in this audio had a combined twenty loans, totaling $140,000. Her debt is $1,100 per month for student loans. Part of the American dream is to work hard and have an enjoyable life. But, because of student loans, young students feel like they will never be as successful as their parents. I resonated to this one much more because I am a white American girl who is following in the footsteps of her parents, listening to their opinions about what a successful individual does. But, in reality, my education is far more expensive than theirs ever was. 

The comic stance on Indiginous American dream showed me the strength of making your diversity and at times, a point of oppression, a means to succeed and share strengths. I feel like this recording really relates to the classic Americana...work hard and reap the rewards. But, this dream wasn’t a financial burden as we see in Buried in Debt. 

The American Dream is being able to become whatever you want. But, of course it takes hard work, courage, and a little luck. 

I would highlight the differences in the American Dream. America is a country of diversity and many individuals have dreams that are much different than others. I believe this is because America is a country where people believe that they can be themselves. And in that, they have the ability to then create whatever dream they desire and they feel almost self-righteous in their ability to have it. I also would include that the ideal American Dream has really changed over the years, especially as our economy has changed and the morals of our nation is increasingly more profit driven. 

When I was a child, I played baseball for a couple years before stopping, but my youngest brother played for years. Our family also has gone to major and minor league games in the past and still do whenever we get the chance, despite me not being much of a fan anymore. The way those kids chase their dreams like that is pretty inspiring. I wish I had found my passion that early in life like they seem to have.

The Millionaire to Pastor story resonated with me because it sounded so similar to what many other Americans have gone through. It’s a very typical story of winning it all, then losing it all, then gaining it back or gaining something just as good. And the turning to religion is something that seems to happen a lot for people in situations like this. 

I’m not sure which one I resonated with more, because I could both relate to the material. If I had to choose, I would say the Baseball story resonated with me more because these kids already have a passion at such a young age. It took me until my mid-twenties before I had a goal in mind, which is what I’ve been working on ever since.

If anything can be learned from those two audio files, its that the American Dream can come in many different ways. Everyone wants something in life, and with patience, hard work and perseverance dreams can be attained. From owning your own business to helping others by running a charity, and everything in between.

I then picked Right Fears Entitlements Are Killing American Dream. As someone who is far left, I wanted to challenge myself to listen to other people’s ideals. That being said, listening to it was mildly frustrating. Malcolm’s belief that government aid removes motivation to pursue the American dream is a valid argument, I guess. I think government welfare has to the potential to help the disadvantage, but I could see how some people can abuse the system. 

First and foremost, the “American dream” is just a hokey, pipe dream. Sure, hard work can help you climb the social ladder. Though, there is a significant portion of the nation that doesn’t have access to this ladder. Due to lack resources, lack of opportunities, institutional racism, and the list could go on… Unfortunately, some people will never be able to have an “American dream” because they are too busy trying to simply survive.

Therefore, after listening to Right Fears Entitlements Are Killing American Dream, it had resonated with me. If people are too busy trying to just survive, any government welfare is crucial to them even having a chance to climb that social ladder. It’s not killing the American dream; it helps it be a possibility for some.

I think an interesting idea for a lesson about American/Portland Culture would be our indigenous roots, the PNW natural beauty, student debt and it’s consequences. 

As for the audio recordings, I would say the first one resonated with me a bit more, as it is about a college graduate that the American dream never quite rang true for. While I'm sure the jaded college student will be a pretty normal archetype across everyone's responses, there were some details on Juan Carlos Reyes’ story that I found pretty relatable. In particular, the process of learning a sense of growth and achievement outside of school is something I am pretty familiar with, as was Reyes’ focus on how many people he knows without college degrees. Stepping outside of college social groups, I honestly know quite a few people (many older than me as well) without any kind of college degree, and job opportunities are often scant for them. Easily one of the most common criticisms of the American dream is found here, in that while hard work and dedication can in theory get you places, money gets you there far quicker, and get you a great deal farther. The second recording, “Great Expectations, And Some Hope Of Meeting Them” is largely an example of how the American dream is typically a universal aim at the pursuit of happiness, and always in different ways. David Hwang’s character based on his father was that of an eager immigrant that in many ways is emblematic of the old American dream. However, Hwang simply defines the dream as “the ability to imagine a way that you want your life to turn out, and have a reasonable hope that you can achieve that.” I think if there was any aspect of the American dream we could include in a lesson for the students, it would be some distillation of this. The American dream is a part of our culture that everyone observes, and is bound to interpret differently in such an individualist culture. While the American dream isn’t quite what it used to be, what it remains as is a sense of hope and flexibility that means something different for everyone.