1 / 47

American dream

American dream. Secret of success. …American life I live the American dream You are the best thing I've seen You are not just a dream American life…. Madonna “American Life”. The American dream Secret of success.

zorita-lester
Download Presentation

American dream

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. American dream Secret of success

  2. …American lifeI live the American dreamYou are the best thing I've seenYou are not just a dream American life… Madonna “American Life”

  3. The American dreamSecret of success • The USA is the most powerful and successful country in the world and everybody wants to know the secret of their success! • Lots of people believe that it is lying deep in the notion of the so called “American Dream” • If it is so, then to be successful we need our own dream, but do we have one? • So the aim of our research is to find out what the American dream means and whether we have our own Russian dream or not.

  4. American Dream…? • Success • Fame • Wealth • Freedom • Education • Career • Family • House • Opportunities • …

  5. the American dream • "from rags to riches“ • realization of high flying ideals

  6. The American Dream •  the freedom that allows everybody to pursue their goals in life through hard work and free choice. • the opportunity for immigrants to achieve greater material prosperity than was possible in their countries of origin. • one's prospects in life are defined by one's talents and energy rather than by one's family wealth or political connections.

  7. origin James Truslow Adams Epic of America (1931): • “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. • It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the circumstances of birth or position.”

  8. self-made man Frederick Douglass (1818 – 1895). • who owes little or nothing to birth, relationship, friendly surroundings; • to wealth inherited or to early approved means of education; • who is what he is, without the aid of any of the favoring conditions by which other men usually rise in the world and achieve great results.

  9. Douglass does not believe in what he calls the "good luck theory"  • Douglass is convinced that success can be explained by only one word, namely "WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!!"

  10. Stories of success Madonna BenjaminFranklin

  11. BenjaminFranklin • One of the Founding Fathers of the United States. • From a poor, unknown son of a candle-maker to a very successful business man and highly acknowledged member of the American society. • Creates the archetype of someone coming from low origins, who, against all odds, breaks out of his inherited social position, climbs up the social ladder and creates a new identity for himself. • Key factors in this rise from rags to riches are hard work and a solid moral foundation. • Franklin also stresses the significance of education for self-improvement

  12. Madonna • From a 19-year-old girl who came to New York with 35$ in her pocket to one of the most famous and successful entertainers in the whole world.

  13. According to the American concept of a “dream” let’s find out whether Russians understand it the same way and whether they have their own Dream.

  14. The American dream research

  15. Summary description of methods • Interview Dates: May 25-29, 2009. • 12 questions. • 150 interviews: • Students of Irkutsk State Linguistic University • Students of Irkutsk State University • Students of Baikal State University of Economy and Management • Company managers • Interior designers • Doctors • Teachers

  16. Russians about the American Dream

  17. Have you ever heard about the American Dream?

  18. What does the American Dream mean in your opinion?

  19. Russian preferences, values and ideals

  20. Where do you want to live?

  21. Films of which production do you prefer?

  22. Who’s your favourite actor?

  23. What language of songs do you prefer?

  24. Which two of the following words are the most important for you: family, love, freedom, friendship, education, money, career, success, health, fortune

  25. Which of the following words best describes how you feel about our country? - Optimistic, Excited, Angry, Confident, Worried, Sad, Hopeful, Disappointed, Proud, Frustrated

  26. Which of the following words best describes how you feel about our country? - Optimistic, Excited, Angry, Cautious, Confident, Worried, Sad, Hopeful, Disappointed, Uncertain, Proud, Frustrated Positive-Optimistic,Hopeful, Proud, Confident, Excited Negative-Angry, Sad, Disappointed, Frustrated Uncertain-Cautious, Worried, Uncertain

  27. Would you say economic conditions in Russia are better off or worse off than four years ago or the same? 

  28. Would you say economic conditions in Russia are better off or worse off than four years ago or the same? 

  29. Thinking about the next generation of Russians who are children today do you think economically they will be better off, worse off, or about the same as today?

  30. Thinking about the next generation of Russians who are children today do you think economically they will be better off, worse off, or about the same as today?

  31. Russian and American Dreams

  32. What does the American dream mean to Americans What does the American Dream mean to you? (Coded and collapsed) Having a good job/make a comfortable living/financial security/debt free 37% Personal Freedom 15% Own a home/have a good place to live 15% Raising a family/caring for children 14% Opportunity/promise 9% Don’t know/not sure 9% Live in peace without terrorism/safety 6% Access to health care/Be healthy 6% Success/Goal Achievement 5% Happiness 5% Access to good education/college 4% A worry-free life 3% A return to traditional moral values/religion 3% There's no longer any American Dream 3% Good Country/U.S. Improving/Patriotic Mentions 3% Equality / Equal Treatment/Rights 3% Freedom of speech and expression 2% Respect for others/tolerance of diversity 2% Life/Living Each Day 2% Affluence/being wealthy 1%

  33. Results Workers volunteer having a good job, making a comfortable living, being debt free and being financially secure as their view the American dream. Only 1% say being wealthy.

  34. What does the Russian dream mean to Russians

  35. Results • The concept of the Russian dream doesn’t exist! • People just want to be wealthy doing nothing • But it’s not that bad, because people believe in bright future of our country. • So, it depends on you if Russia will have its dream or not

  36. Resources • http://www.changetowin.org/features/the-american-dream-survey.html • http://www.northfulton.com/Articles-i-2008-10-30-175531.114126_Survey_Tough_Economy_Has_Not_Killed_the_American_Dream.html • http://www.changetowin.org/fileadmin/user_upload/presen.CTW.press.f2.082906.ppt#502,6,Jobs and the economy is the top concern for workers, with energy and gas prices, moral values and the war in Iraq in the next tier. • Wikipedia.org

More Related