President Obama spoke to the Kindle Singles recently, and addressed how there has been a cultural shift regarding what people view as the "American Dream." Obama made the point that in the past, American youth, or others moving to America, had a more simple view of what that dream would be, and it was more obtainable then. Now, with the access social media gives the average American to view the more intimate portions of celebrity life, Obama feels as though the dream has shifted to a much higher scale that is far more difficult to accomplish than was the case in the past. While making his point, he used Kim Kardashian and Kanye West as examples of how people view success these days.
"The American dream involved some pretty basic stuff, a good job where you felt some security, a good education. People felt if they worked hard they could get there, I don't think people went around saying to themselves, 'I need to have a 10,000-square-foot house' ... I think there has also been a shift in culture. We weren't exposed to the things we didn't have in the same way that kids these days are. There was not that window into the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Kids weren't monitoring every day what Kim Kardashian was wearing or where Kanye West was going on vacation and thinking that somehow that was the mark of success."
What are your views on the American Dream?
Source: vibe.com
