We often hear that the American Dream is being able to pull
yourself up by your bootstraps and make a better life for yourself. This idea comes from the writings of
James Truslow Adams in his work The Epic of America. In
this, he writes that the American Dream is:
“that dream of a land in which life should be better and
richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability
or achievement….a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall
be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable,
and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous
circumstances of birth or position”
This concept still resonates today and is captured in the
American Dream Composite Index as the Fruits of My Labor where it is measured
as the extent to which one is rewarded fairly for efforts in life. Interestingly, it exists as part of our
overall personal well-being. As a
significant dimension of the America Dream, it exists as one of its strongest
cornerstones. For February 2012,
this dimension was measure at 68.1.
That is, we are 68.1% of the way to fully reaping the benefits of the
fruits of our labor, on average.
Not bad, but what’s missing?
Why are we not getting what we feel we deserve?
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