Imminent Dystopia

In this short film based on the short story Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, equality becomes absolute. Kurt Vonnegut who is famous for his American satire and criticism, warned us of the loss of individuality and the total acceptance of conformity.  Although artistic, this film is expressing the worries that Kurt made vividly clear. Will society become one brain? Will people soon not be able to think for themselves? In the film everyone is equal, if they are not, for example if someone is beautiful then they wear a mask, if some one is intelligent they wear a headpeace that interrupts their brain waves, and if they are strong they are dragged down by weights. This is a warning as stated below, to accept individuality and not conform completely to be able to have part of the American Dream. Although the  dream does provide individuality,  to live the dream that our generation believes in one must conform to social rules and norms of success.

Balance

Frida Kahlos painting a “On the Borderline between Mexico and the United States” describes Fridas melanchonly for her land. At the time she came with her husband Diego Rivera, to present his artwork in the big cities. Frida paints her longing for the things that represents her home, like nature, the history and traditions. On the other side frida paints the United States coldy and gray, as if detesting the industry, modernity, and the new ideas. Although a painting of distinctions, it can be represented as a painting of balance accepting the old, nature and traditions, while being open to industry, technology and modern ideas. In a sense this should be the way the American Dream works, the opportunity to aspire for the new but the humbleness to accept things as they are.

Consumerism

“You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you’re satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you’ve got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you’re trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you.”

Often people make it a lifelong mission to be able to afford that new car, televison and house. The American Dream involves the ability to purchase whatever it is one wants. But what happens when the materials becom more important then life itself. In the novel “Fight Club” author Chuck Palahniuk challenges and criticizes modern ideas of consuming. Going agaisnt the way of living Americans have become accostumed to, spending, spending and spending. In spending many who do not have money, spend what they do not have going into debt. Fight club is a protest agaisnt modern way of living. A message to live for something else instead of materials before materials end up owning you.

Asleep to Believe

If the American Dream was trully a dream, then why do we still have comedians, writers and directors critizicing the way America is living? One of the reasons why is because they believe we are losing our rights, they believe that the government does not want people thinking for themselves but instead being mindless. Whether George Carlin is just overeacting or not it is interesting to take these thoughts into consideration. Do the big bosses of America want us to continue to live life mindlessly? Hoping only for material things. Are we really believing in a false dream? I do believe so, the American Dream of this generation has become the inability to think for yourself only to gain material possessions and be entertained mindlessly.

“Colored lights can hypnotize, sparkle someone else’s eyes”

American Woman is a song by canadian rock band The Guess Who, controversally this song has been seen as an attack on American issues like the draft. America has sort of a bad reputation with other countries, often times it is either regarded as the place where dreams come true or the country that is out to get us. Similarly like in the Vietnam War, Americas imperialistic attitudes are the cause of hatred towards the country. The lyrics “I don’t need your war machine, your ghetto scenes” is seen as a protest line by the canadian rock band.

Get a goddamn job, Al

Patrick Bateman is the 80’s wall street yuppie in search of fitting in. Absolutely emotionally detached from society “exept for greed and disguts”, Bateman already fits in. Not far from what the others are in his social group, well dressed, eloquent, wealthy, intelligent and successful. Except he is not, because he enjoys killing people for fun. He is simply “not there”. Patrick Bateman ties into the American Dream in this way, he represents the greed and social superficiality. He lives on in a world that survives on empty relationshps. Where people even forget each others names, for example Paul Allen thinking that Patrick is actually someone else. Patrick represents upper class socities rejection of close personal relationships and acceptance of consumerism and social aspirations. The injustice of the drastic distinction between the wealthy and the poor, is cruelly shown when Patrick tells Al (a homeless man) that his negative attitude is the reason that he does not have a job. Without knowing much about the man, Patrick only assumes that he is homeless because he does not try hard enoough not taking into consideration the inequalities of American society.

Look Closer: Individuality Vs Conformity

Although many aspire to live the American Dream, others feel trapped by the emptiness it provides. Materialism is in the end materialism, not the warmth that humans need from others, from relationships. As society seems to become more focused on materials, relationships are being pushed aside. The dynamics of the modern family are examined in the film “American Beauty” directed by Sam Mendes. Conformity and individuality  important opposites are a central part of the film. Lester Burnham the main protagonist of the film decides to accept his individuality while rejecting American ideals and norms. While Lester is having a mid-life crisis, his new outlook on life changes his relationship with his family. His structured wife, learns to live a little even if it means cheating on him. Lester accepts the chaotic consequences of freedom because he is tired of conforming and being a mindless sheep in society. This film is a representation of modern families, the overall drive to gain more material wealth and social status while letting personal relationships disintergrate.

Superficial Dreams

The Entertaintment Industry makes it fairly easy to misrepresent the American Dream. Often, TV shows and movies portray Americans as rich and beautiful obsessed with their looks. The red hot chili Peppers song “Californication” is about Hollywoods involvement when it comes to the false portrayal of the American Dream. Sending to the rest of the world, superficial ideas of what America is truly like. For example reality shows which focus only on the lives of rich women or celebreties. A simple song, Californication reminds us of the damage that the media can produce. The lyrics “Little girls from Sweden dream of Silver Screen Quotations” it eerly reminds that the youth can take what hollywood sells as literall, from what one should look like to how one should behave. Showing America’s materialism and dangers of the entertainment industry. The lyrics are a metaphor for the exterior of the American Dream which seems almost perfect, but when looked at more closely, its interior has issues like the rest of the world “Space may be the final frontier, But its made in a hollywood basement”. It sums up the false reprsentation of perfection, speaking to the world that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Injustice to Corruption

The American Dream is supposed to be attainable to all citizens/residents of America. Unfortunately, this is not always so. Not too long ago, Italian immigrants as well as other minorities, recieved only injustice from America. Although given the chance to work, life for immigrants was different then the majority of American society. The Godfather films are a clear example of the consequences of an unjust dream; crime and corruption. In the Godfather, the film starts out with a fellow italian asking Vito Corleone for his help. His daughter was almost beaten to death, and her abusers being white American were not properly punished by law. Since the law was unjust, the man who as Vito Corleone says righteously profited from the Dream, now accepted crime as justice. If fairness had been involved, perhaps the man would not have asked for the godfathers help. Similarly, immigrants are often lost in terms of social norms and laws. Often unaware of their rights, they might be mistreated. In the Godfather Part 2, the life of Vito Corleone is shared, giving reasons as to why he lead to crime to get what he wanted. The answer is simple, had he not, he would have gotten nowhere. Injustice, would have kept him down, not able to climb the social, economical or political ladder.

Equal to one Another

The American Dream is seen as the ability to change what is thought to be stable and concrete. Throughout Americas history, leaders such as Abraham Lincoln have helped defined the American Dream. Recently Steven Spielbergs new film “Lincoln” was released in theaters, giving spectators a chance to see the difficulties in trying to make a change.  Although change is difficult, without it the human race would not progress. Lincolns struggle for change, began America’s journey towards accepting equality. Equality, a big part of the film, is a topic that Lincoln continually pondered over. Lincoln even questioned normal citizens of their opinions in such matters, in a comical way he seemed to go off into a reverie, almost talking to himself trying to understand society and their reluctance towards equality for all. In the film he questions two young adults whether they believe one can be born into the wrong time. Further into the conversation, one of the adults tells Lincoln that he is an engineer. This sets the President into another one of his reveries, recalling a line that stood out to him from a book by Euclid “ Things which are equal to the same thing are also equal to one another” analyzing to himself the absurdity that if thinkers from long ago understood the concept of equality, why did America refuse to accept African Americans as their equals.  Equality and change are concepts that make the American Dream, providing possibilities for all.