When we look at the American Dream as applicable to each individual, there are infinite meanings to what each person's dream is. It could be to own a car, or own a house. Maybe it means getting an education or or the right to vote. These dreams are unique, but as Walter R. Fisher asserts in his article, Reaffirmation and Subversion of the American Dream, there is a dichotomy between two general versions of the American Dream: materialistic and moralistic.
Fisher explains that this dichotomy was utilized during the 1972 election by Richard Nixon and George McGovern. Nixon represented the materialistic view of the dream, while McGovern represented the moralistic view. They based their campaigns off of their respective views, and this dichotomy was present throughout the election. In order to win the election, Fisher claims that, "...one can not merely reaffirm [their position], one must also subvert the position of one's opponent,"(120), meaning that they had to convince Americans that their view of the dream was possible and just, while the other's was unattainable or wrong. Fisher supports this claim by inserting quotes from speeches of both candidates that attack the other. Nixon attacks his opponent by claiming them to "irrational" and "unrealistic" while McGovern claimed that Nixon's ideals were manipulations that would destroy society as a whole.
This subversion of the American Dream can be seen not only in 1972, but also in 2017. We saw in the recent presidential election how Senator Bernie Sanders' views on healthcare were attacked by his opponents on the basis that they weren't realistic. In contrast, Sanders and his supporters views the abolishment of Obama Care and lack of universal health care immoral. Both sides not only supported their own ideas, but attacked their opponents based on whether their ideas were practical or moral.
Another claim Fisher makes is that people believe in both versions of the dream, whether they like it or not. This claim asserts that one version of the dream may be more consuming for a person, or they may believe in one version stronger than the other, but the other version is always there. For example, if you vote for someone who embodies the materialistic version of the dream, you may still have beliefs that that materialistic dream corrupts. Such as not wanting business regulations, but still believing that everyone deserves quality healthcare.
I can see this display of both dreams in 2017 by the way a lot of people feel about President Trump. I've talked to many people who voted for Trump based on his promise of more jobs and economic improvements. These people bought into the materialistic side of the American Dream that they want have money, opportunities, and not have to pay so much into systems that benefit others. However, these people have also expressed a morality issue with Trump's stance on immigrants, travel bans, and women's rights. This shows how even today people believe in both the materialistic version of the American Dream and the moralistic, but for better or worse, one does govern people's actions more than the other.
Btw, I love the background you created for your blog. I don't remember if I said that before.
ReplyDeleteYou closed by talking about how people explained why they voted for Trump, and that reminded me of some of my own conversations. They were uncomfortable with the some of the things he said, but they believed he could "make America great again" and bring back prosperity.