The American Dream

This is a map showing the influx of people into America from different countries. Just from this image alone, it is clear that the "American Dream" still exists. This concept is no myth. People travel from far and wide in order to follow in the footsteps of others who have prospered from the tit provided by the United States of America. This is not to say that it is easy, hard work is required, but it is also key to be in the right place at the right time.. A certain luck and pluck as it is historically referred to as.



http://www.businessinsider.com/american-dream-immigrants-made-a-fortune-in-the-us-2014-2?op=1&IR=T 

This article outlines 12 foreigners who have come from Rags to Riches, a similar concept provided in the book Ragged Dick. The founders of huge companies such as Yahoo, Google, Whatsapp and Forever 21, all immigrants who's family came to America in search of a better life. What a decision that turned out to be. Ragged Dick also put forward the idea that sacrifices must be taken in order to gain success. Dick's sacrifice comes in the form of helping others before helping himself, this is huge personal sacrifice, that eventually pays of for him. In the same way these figures sacrificed to get ahead, Sergey Brin, the co founder of Google dropped out of Stamford University. This image of how to gain success was suggested in Ragged Dick and is constantly being implemented by millions on a day to day basis.


Whereas books like Ragged Dick are more applicable to those born in the United States and books such as Double Luck: Memoirs of a Chinese Orphan are more applicable to foreigners. Both uphold very similar ideals, that hard work and the correct behaviour take you places that laziness and rudeness will generally not.                                               


Is this American dream still entainable today? I personally believe so, their is so much innovation left for the world to experience. History dictates that it does not matter what type of background you may come from, it is still possible to be a success in life. So many entrepeneurs starting with nothing but a mere idea, hard work and luck can cause that idea to blossom in a huge enterprise worth millions, just ask Starbucks' Howard Schulz. He has a story not to dissimilar to Ragged Dick, he infact lived in a housing complex for the poor, now he has a net worth of 2 Billion. As if the American dream is dead.....