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The history of 'the American Dream' — a phrase coined in 1931 that has meant radically different things to different generations. The hosts trace how the dream evolved from spiritual freedom to material prosperity.
Canon
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The 1950s dream was a house and a car. The 1980s dream added a second car and private schooling. The 2000s dream required a McMansion and exotic vacations. Each generation's achievement became the next generation's minimum expectation.
Highlights
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The American Dream originally meant spiritual freedom, not material wealth
James Truslow Adams coined the phrase in 1931 to mean 'a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are capable.' It was about self-actualization, not homeownership.