What the American Dream Means

In recent years, countries are grappling with the question of how to measure national well-being. The governments of The United Kingdom, France, and Canada, for instance, are trying to understand what aspects are relevant for measuring national well-being.  Well, the answer can be found in the American Dream Composite Index (ADCI).  The ADCI provides a comprehensive look at five broad categories – economic, personal well-being, societal, diversity, and environment.  Taken together, these five categories measure how the nation is performing taking into account all the important and relevant aspects of one’s life.  The ADCI is, in effect, the national well-being index for the U.S. So, how are we doing?  Well, the ADCI has been hovering around 63 on a scale from zero to 100.  This means that, as a nation, we are 37% away from fully realizing complete satisfaction with every aspect of our lives.