Feel Like I'm living an American Dream

I watched "The Pursuit of Happiness" today for the first time--I knew the general story, I always wanted to see it, but I never had the chance to do so until I realized my roommate had a copy of it lying in the living room.

--Throughout my college career I've had the opportunity to investigate what makes up the American Dream--over and over and over. From all sorts of angles...including Benjamin Franklin, Emerson, Thoreau, Jack London, Early Conquistadors, Christopher Columbus, The Founding Fathers, John Muir, Wallace Thurman, Fitzgerald, Lorraine Adams, Frank Herbert, Harper Lee, Bret Harte, Stowe, Twain, and so many more.

What most people gather about the American Dream is that Americans are Tough, Independent, and Determined to succeed. The image that comes to their mind is an individual setting out into the wide world, determined to succeed and make a name for themselves in a savage environment.
"The Pursuit of Happiness" affirms that motion. The main character, Chris, goes through a lot, is determined to succeed, and is independent throughout the film...

But if you look VERY closely at the stories of success--the true American Dream stories, you might question  the term "independence." 


In every rags to riches story; in every American historical account; in every success in America story, you will find that those who obtain the things they want from life got help. They all succeeded after someone lent them a hand, gave them a break, and helped them survive.
The pilgrims and John Smith--got help from the natives. The food necessary for colonists to survive was given to them by the locals who were already established and successful.
America became a nation only after Britain established a governing body and established order throughout the colonies. The colonies were not united until the British told them they were subjects of the king.
Benjamin Franklin would not have become a famous printer-jack-of-all-trades-philosopher if it weren't for his father, brother, Quakers, father-in-law and several others.

Chris Gardner, in "The Pursuit of Happiness," would not have survived if it weren't for the christian shelter that he was able to stay at until he sold his last bone density testing machine. He would not have survived if he wasn't taken up by the brokerage firm. Selling those machines on his own did not work after all.

I feel as though a case can be made that being an American isn't being independent and free.--Those are the stories that get told most but probably only make up 5% of Americans. To be an American is to establish yourself and then lend a hand to those who are struggling to survive. Find some level of stability and share it with others. Pulling yourself up from your bootstraps must imply that you're pulling yourself up on the arms of others who are lifting you up. Don't forget to take my survey!