Every American citizen has a different definition of the “American Dream.” An investigation into the factors that impact that Dream on an individual basis will usually be led by characteristics that immediately come to mind. Whether it is race, ethnicity, religion, or sexuality, an individual’s American Dream is shaped over the course of their lifetime by some of the aforementioned characteristics and shared experiences.
T is a Hispanic male, who identifies as polyamorous bisexual and follows the Toaist Episcopalian faith. T lives in a town, which he likes to call, “a second-world country.” Mr. T identifies as a member of the “artist” socioeconomic class, which he uniquely described as, “a combination of the poor, wealthy and elite.” Currently, he teaches digital media literacy courses to college students.
T identified his socioeconomic class and the era in which he was raised as the two largest impacts on his American Dream, rather than the tangible characteristics and identifier categories that make him who he is.
T concisely remarked, “I am the product of my surroundings.”
When considering how one forms their American Dream, childhood experiences and the era in which the individual was raised are too often left out. T discussed the disparities between the 1980s, when he grew up, versus American society today, where the mentalities of what makes America are vastly different. The Internet and the interconnectivity of today’s society certainly play an impact.
Individuals can see how people different from them are disproportionately affected in certain scenarios. T reflected upon two instances where he realized his privilege, saying, “I can say to myself, ‘Actually, I’m an adult male white guy,’ and it changes your perspective on things and I think a lot of adult male white guys don’t think about that.”
Traveling also greatly impacted how he sees the United States and its citizens. He noted that the Internet influenced him to travel to experience new cultures. As an artist, T consistently observes and considers people’s perceptions of his actions in unfamiliar environments.
He said, “I’m constantly surrounded by people with different experiences.”
It is clear that the non-traditional considerations of what makes us, as Americans, different as individuals are often the ones with the largest impact on our American Dreams. For T, growing up in the 1980s and his socioeconomic status have a massive influence on his perception of the American Dream.
T is…
- 42 Years-Old
- Male, Cisgender
- White
- Mexican
- Taoist Episcopalian
- Polyamorous Bisexual