Since the American Revolution, the United States has gained international recognition as a land of hope and equal opportunity. America's founding fathers imagined the nation as a place of broad promise, operating under democratic rule and enabling social mobility. The idea that any individual, regardless of circumstances, could achieve a goal through determination became a belief known as the American Dream. Instilled in the heart of American culture and remaining there today, the American dream must be evaluated for its validity. Using critical support to discuss the purpose and importance of this myth in centuries past, I will examine the American Dream from a historical perspective to uncover its current function in modern America. Despite its illusory nature, the penetration of the American dream into national thinking serves to justify the perpetuation of the myth in the 21st century. Overall, this article will illustrate the need for a new ideology if America is to continue to rise. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayIncredibly popularized in the 19th century, during the period of expansion and Manifest Destiny, the American Dream became a predominant principle that guided society. The premise of the myth seemed simple: work hard and achieve greatness. A hopeful approach to the future, this idealistic vision inspired adolescent America, a child in essence. Psychologist Bruno Bettelheim explains that "the most important and also the most difficult task in raising a child is to help him find meaning in life" (3), which is essentially the conflict that led the young society to adopt a nationally recognized ideology. The people had before them the difficult task of economic, social and cultural development, and they needed a path forward that would ensure an important and meaningful future. A mid-19th century author of children's stories, Horatio Alger was a major influence in spreading the message of the American dream through popular culture. By integrating the myth into American consciousness, Algiers proposed that anyone could rise from rags to riches (Kanfer). He provided a formula for achieving the American dream that corresponds to the simplified formula of Joseph Campbell's monomyth.[1] Campbell's formula has three stages: "a separation from the world, a penetration into a source of power, and a life-enriching return" (35). Similarly, the plot of Algiers typically depicts a young boy separating himself from his poverty-stricken world, adopting a new routine characterized by an intense work ethic, and achieving improved status. The stories of Algiers circulated across America at a crucial point in its history, imparting a seemingly common-sense approach to societal challenges and a hopeful triumph. Algiers truly had a substantial impact on American philosophy in the coming century. Although Joseph Campbell, in his conclusion to The Hero with a Thousand Faces, states that modern society no longer adheres to a mythical approach to life's difficulties, I view the situation as the opposite. : too much confidence in the American myth has constituted a constraint on the progress of society. In Campbell's formula, comes "the stage of trials and victories" (36). The persistent hope in the American dream has prevented the social body from overcoming these trials. Therefore, the modern world's reluctance to abandon the American dream results in the postponement of "return and reintegration into..