American Dreams, Myths, and Illusions: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

Abstract

Because "science only advances when researchers question previously accepted wisdom" (Beeghley 40), my primary task in this thesis is to examine how far commonly-held views about the "American Dream" are in fact valid, even if they appear obvious to everyone else (Giddens, Theory 5). This "orientation implies that the facts are not always what they seem to be, an insight that is fundamental to sociology" (Beeghley 2). <p>To be more specific, my focus will be on American "modes of belief and behavior that are socially reproduced across long spans of time and space. Such aspects of social life include commonly adopted practices which persist in recognizably similar form across the generations" (Giddens, Intro 8). <p>In the process, I will also try to represent some of the hopes and fears, values and goals, beliefs and rituals of American Dreamers, both as I perceive them to be, and the way they want to be seen by others. But this is only half the job. The other half is to describe and explain what people are actually saying and doing (Harris 15), in terms of Anglo/Native cultural, and Senior/Youth political comparisons.