My American Dream

As I read Teaching the Conventions of Academic Discourse , written by Teresa Thonney, I was surprised that I understood most of it. I thought that  reading an academic journal article, written by a scholar for other scholars, would be filled with very academic jargon specific to professors, yet I was surprised that I could easily understand it for the most part.  I enjoyed how she broke down her essay into six main sections (and a section with suggestions and a conclusion at the end) and each section contained many excerpts from academic writers. Sh evaluated how each academic writer formed their argument and backed it up. This type of proof is influential for her audience of scholars, for they will be able to take note of how the academic writers express their opinions and be able to share it with their students. She pinpoints exactly what academic writers do: respond to what others have written about their topic, state the value of their work and announce the plan for t...

Throughout his book, Chomsky has built up the message that the concentration of wealth yields the concentration of power. This overarching claim is carried throughout the book and is backed up by the points Chomsky writes about.  In Chapter 5, Chomsky highlights the wealthy elites' desire to destroy the principles in which most of the population survives on: solidarity, both within social security and the public education systems. He states that Social Security is "of no use to the very rich, so therefore, there's a concerted attempt to destroy it. One of the ways is by defunding it" (66). This type of mindset that the upper class has is very dangerous for the rest of the U.S. This displays that the wealthy has always had control over policy and power. Chomsky supports this claim by referencing the Social Security Act of 1935. He wants to emphasize how beneficial the Social Security system in place is by describing that the act provides benefits to most of society....

Noam Chomsky presents a very controversial argument in his book titled,  Requiem for the American Dream . He presents a compelling argument as to why his audience and society needs to come together and take a stand if they want a dependable future. This book has a powerful message and it is relevant to today's society. Published in 2017, this book comes at a time when the American Dream is slowly fading out and developing a new meaning. The Dream is turning into an economic competition only reachable by wealthy people and people of power. As Chompsky points out, the Dream is solely obtainable by a small percentage of the American population - the upper class. Noam Chomsky explained that "...there's gonna be constant pressure-we can be certain of it- from systems of power to prevent any constraint on expanding their power, and the profit" (42). This excerpt stands out to me because no matter how hard people try to make something better, there will always be a g...

There is a prevalent problem in today's media that involves presenting untrue stories to the public. Big news companies chase after stories that will enhance their views on their television show rather than reciting factual stories. Big news companies report biased news reports rather than covering pressing issues and important stories. Many shows are filled with reporters who simply read off a teleprompter and feed their viewers altered information. The overall level of argumentation in today's society has dropped because of news sources that provide biased opinions to all its viewers. There is an epidemic of fake news in media today and viewers are subjected to the one-sided opinions news shows offer. In the exceprt  Finding the Good Argument OR Why Bother With Logic?,  author, Rebecca Jones, explores the problem behind faulty news sources and how their biased opinions depict a poor model of argumentation. She states, "On an average news day, there are entire ...

The American Dream is an everlasting concept that has survived centuries despite the changes to our society. This idea stays alive due to the comfort and hope it provides citizens. I find it interesting how Americans stay optimistic and strive for what seems like an unreachable dream even when faced with the most difficult of times. As I read the introduction to The Making and Persistence of the American Dream  by Sandra Hanson and John Kenneth White, I was intrigued when the authors referenced a comment from sociologist, Barry Glassner. Glassner empahsizes citizens' standing hope that they will some day reach their American Dream: "You want to hold onto your dream when times are hard. For the vast majority of Americans at every point in history, the prospect of achieving the American Dream has been slim, but the promise has been huge" (6).  Many Americans believe that holding onto the American Dream will provide them with a hopeful future. As Glassner points out, no...

Dream Away  The American Dream differs from person to person. One's background or upbringing can influence his or her perspective on what the ideal American Dream is. In his article,  "American Dreams" , journalist, Ian Brown, asks several Americans to describe his or her American Dream. Perspectives given by a wide variety of people offer a range of hopes and dreams for a certain lifestyle. For many, when the American Dream comes to mind, they associate it with wealth and fame. However, Brown emphasizes the individuality between people and their own understandings of what the American Dream is. This idea is unique to everyone, but concepts such as equality and peace are prevalent in peoples' responces. Similar to others, I hope for equality and peace, but also the opportunity to travel.  I t is often difficult to summarize your personal vision of the American Dream, but I have crafted my own and I hope I can fulfill it one day.  My understanding...