American Dream

Question 1

American culture

Answer 1

American culture values ‘money success’ – individual material wealth & the high status that goes with it. Americans are expected to pursue this goal by legitimate means: self-discipline, study, educational qualifications, & hard work in a career.

The ideology of the ‘American Dream’ tells
Americans that their society is a meritocratic one where anyone who makes the effort can get ahead & that there are opportunities for all. Americans believe that they can go from a ‘log cabin’ to the White House’ if they have the talent & are willing to work hard.

Question 2

Reality

Answer 2

Reality is different: Merton was aware that many
disadvantaged groups are denied opportunities to achieve
legitimately. E.g. poverty, inadequate schools & discrimination in
the job market may block opportunitiesfor many ethnic
minorities & the lower classes.
The resulting strain between the cultural goal of money success & the lack of legitimate opportunities to achieve it produces frustration, & this in turn creates a pressure to resort to illegitimate means such as crime & deviance. Merton calls this pressure to deviate, the strain to anomie.

In summary, the goal creates a desire to succeed, & lack of opportunity creates a pressure to use illegitimate means, while the norms are not strong enough to prevent some from falling to this temptation.