Redefinition of The American Dream?

 This is yet another book that I read for my politics class, but I greatly enjoyed it! The topics it covers are far-reaching and at times depressing, as it details the oftentimes very rough lives of America's working-class families and youth. But in his discussions and presentations of statistics and qualitative data from a number of interviews with real families and young adults, Putnam allows readers to see the widening opportunity gap that spans across generations in America. The main theme of this book has to do with the title, "Our Kids." In essence, the book displays how the American Dream's definition has redeveloped over the past half-decade, taking on new meanings for the next generations of kids who we as a collective nation should view as our responsibility to provide a hopeful future for. As a result, the gap between the working-class and middle-class children and families starkly showcases their differences in education levels, residential life, and overall happiness. It is a sad but true reality that life does not offer equal opportunities in the land of the free for all of its citizens. I am very glad to have read this book, however. Having my eyes opened to the fact that my life as a middle-class citizen is a privileged life helps me to sympathize with those who did not have as many opportunities as me. I can also work on how I can raise awareness for the need of policies to help these struggling working-class Americans, to see a real change in racial and class disparities. Overall, the next generation of this country's children are instrumental to the upward mobility of the nation, and as such, they are all "our kids."

Some meaningful, thought-provoking quotes from Our Kids:

"Poor kids, through no fault of their own, are less prepared by their families, their schools, and their communities to develop their God-given talents as fully as rich kids. For economic productivity and growth, our country needs as much talent as we can find, and we certainly can’t afford to waste it. The opportunity gap imposes on all of us both real costs and what economists term 'opportunity costs.'"

"Many people have a stereotype of what it means to be poor. And it may be somebody they see on the street corner with a sign: “Will work for food.” And what they don’t think about is that person who’s struggling every day. Could be the person who waited on us, took our bank deposit, works in retail, but who is barely above the poverty line."

"Without succumbing to political nightmares, we might ponder whether the bleak, socially estranged future facing poor kids in America today could have unanticipated political consequences tomorrow. So quite apart from the danger that the opportunity gap poses to American prosperity, it also undermines our democracy and perhaps even our political stability."

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