I am doing a video on the American Dream. I was hoping somebody could help me out. In your own words. What would you describe to be the American dream. Thanks for your help.

i think the answer will be the same thing that zack morris found out in his school project looking for what all girls want.

The American Dream is to convince yourself that your own way of life is superior to that of any other culture, anywhere, ever.

Wal-Mart supercenter, Big Mac, Taco Bell, KFC, tits on TV, white, Ford, GM, football, baseball, chewing tobacco, California, trucks, SUVs, dogs.

booze, broads, and bullets.

I think the American dream is to see a clear-cut path that represents your life laid before you, that leads to making some kind of difference in the world, and meaning all you have to do is just walk down it and never stop until the very end, with as little obstacles along the way as possible. Looking at this definition, I guess there is a reason why it's called the American dream...the American reality would be a whole lot more depressing, I'm sure.

there is not "A" american dream. If you are american, and you have a dream, thats the american dream. You have the right to choose your own life, no matter what else happens. Everything that happens to you was because of a choice you made. If you choose to follow the good life your living the dream.

The American Dream was achieved for a short period of time, when everyone was affluent, wore suits, worked short days, watched Leave it to Beaver and had lots of shiny chrome appliances.

The dream no longer exists, as Americans can't seem to agree with each-other on what it is anymore. The dream is dead, and while America still gives us freedom, wealth and and the ability to over do almost anything, it no longer is united by a common dream. In fact, the things that make America special are often either not so desirable, or easily found elsewhere. That said, I love America, despite its flaws and current politics.

It's to have a better life than your parents, and to provide opportunities for your children so that they can live a better life than you.

I saw a movie yesterday called "A day without Mexicans." While I wouldn't say it's a great film, I think it brought up some interesting points about the American dream and latino immigrants (both legal and illegal). It is a great example of a film shot on digital (mostly the DVX100).

that was a good summation TD!

The dream is like that saying, "the best is yet to come."
But most people have their own definition of what is best and can't decide on anything, so the average day american settles for what is, and doesn't try to improve.

"booze, broads and bullets"

isn't that a movie tagline?

money & then sex
alcohol is involved
aswell ego

A foreigner's point of view:

The American Dream, whatever's left of it, to me, is the strong belief that you can really do anything you set your mind to.
Take a lot of you, young filmmakers, for example: so many of you actually make plans on how you're going to get to Hollywood. Others reject the idea with so much energy, you'd believe they're rejecting real job offers every day.
There was a recent thread about one of you not being elegible for student loans, and most replys suggested plenty of options. It takes life for some Americans to realize some things will never happen to them.
And from what I've seen, it's pretty much the same with any profession or occupation. Granted, I haven't seen that much.
By comparison, people around here (South America) tend to get frustrated on the most feasible dreams, before even trying. Student filmmakers in general are lucky if they can borrow their school's one camera to finish a 5 minute short. Ok, maybe that's too melodramatic, but you get the point.
Most people here grow up knowing that even if they try their hardest AND are very lucky, they will only get so far. It's what Joren said, but think USA in the 30's, or something.
To sum it up, I think the dream might very well be that there are endless opportunities for those who are willing to "go for it". And while it might not be completely true, it's not entirely unjustified.

E.

Very interesting perspective, E.

I guess the American dream for me has always been that anyone can be succesful if they try hard enough, but thats a little vague. its more that you have the opportunity to make a better life for yourself if you want it.

"To sum it up, I think the dream might very well be that there are endless opportunities for those who are willing to "go for it"." Exactly

"The American Dream is to convince yourself that your own way of life is superior to that of any other culture, anywhere, ever."
-Harris
do you really believe that??? if you do Im sorry you feel that way and that you are so weak minded that you cant take the time to actually think about what you are saying. how many Americans do you know who believe themself to be better than anyone else just because they're from the United States? I myself thank God everyday that i was lucky enough to be born into a middle class family in the US, but the fact that i was doesnt make me better than anyone else.

"booze, broads and bullets"

i think its funny that so many people rag on hollywood and say its "so unoriginal" and "too much of a business" and they put s**t like that down as their answer to "what is the american dream?" is that not what hollywood and the media and just about everything else that has mass audiences tells us about what america is about? that if you party and have sex with a bunch of girls then your cool and a "badass". pathetic. again as an american i am offended by that statement. while i do like firearms , i am a senior in high school and i dont drink, dont do drugs, and im not having sex until im married, so does that make me uncool? You dont have to have booze and women to be happy or to even do anything, its just what society has taught us is what a young man/woman should be into.

wow, the conservative within is unleashed....

John Cassavetes on the American Dream:

"In the last couple of decades or so, something has happened to the American dream. I don't quite know what it is, and it's not very clear in my mind. Confusion has replaced patriotism. The intellect has replaced love. America has changed. Look everywhere. It's all about money. If something doesn't make money, no one is interested. Everything is for sale. Emotions are sold. Sex is sold. Everything is sex. Cars, women, clothes, your face, your shoes! Look at the ads, at television. My emotions aren't for sale. My thoughts can't be bought. They're mine. I don't want movies that sell me something. I don't want to be told how to feel."

quote:

Originally posted by Matt B.:
"The American Dream is to convince yourself that your own way of life is superior to that of any other culture, anywhere, ever."
-Harris
do you really believe that???...
i am a senior in high school and i dont drink, dont do drugs, and im not having sex until im married, so does that make me uncool?

Yes, and yes.
I'm just going to quote a wise man: Dr.Cox: I became a doctor for the same four reasons that everybody does: chicks, money, power, and chicks.
I wish I could've quoted the rest of that statement, probably would've given this more bearing. I dunno, I usually only appreciate the artist stereotype of (an usually liberal) slacker only whenever I hear a conservative filmmaker talk.
This is meant in good fun, so don't take too much offense.

elliott...

i know its all in good fun, in case you couldnt tell from most of my posts on this site i love debating, so dont take too much offense if i go off on you, its just something i do.

but on that note, i dont even really understand what you just said MeGrimlock. are you saying that all there is to achieve in life is wealth, power and sex?

quote:

Originally posted by Matt B.:
are you saying that all there is to achieve in life is wealth, power and sex?

Well, without diving too deep into my own psyche, I am a **ore. I want to make movies more than anything else because they're fun to make and, I believe possibly delusional even, that they entertain others as a finished project. But, being a low level independent film maker can only get me and my movies so far. Pretty soon I'm going to need, or want at the very least, money and power to make bigger and better films with larger casts, crew, and gear, all which are going to take quite a bit of money and power. As far as sex goes, I've always believed, even at a young age, that any progression in anything to have ever taken place has been in the pursuit of sex (I laughed my ass off when they showed off this idea in Futurama {last episode of season three where Fry dates a Lucy Liu bot.)

Hell, it's best said in Scarface: In (America,) you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women.

I wish I didn't need money and power to make huge extravagant movies, but I do. Sometimes I wish I could castrate myself so I wouldn't have to rely on finding whatever in the opposite sex.

All in all though, I still feel I have a positive outlook on life.

elliott...

ecuse me fi thisis incomperehensibel, im so drunk i have to tyupe with one hand andd these tow naked broads who are in hre with me are nt much hel p at all. whoa wait a mintue i hav to go haras a preahcer

ok imback. letsee if i can mnatinain

quote:

"The American Dream is to convince yourself that your own way of life is superior to that of any other culture, anywhere, ever."
-Harris
do you really believe that??? if you do Im [sic] sorry you feel that way and that you are so weak minded [sic] that you cant [sic] take the time to actually think about what you are saying. how many Americans do you know who believe themself [sic] to be better than anyone else just because they're from the United States?

I know a lot of them. I think our foreign policy speaks to there being plenty of Americans who do feel that way.

O god, I'm trying to talk politics. Sorry.