Throughout The European Dream, Jeremy Rifkin explains how he believes the American Dream has become out-dated. Ever since World War II, the American Dream has put an emphasis on economic growth, personal wealth, and independence (Rifkin, pg. 13). Rifkin believes that in the new American way of living, there are too many factors which cause Americans to stray from the necessities needed to live in order to be able to consider themselves as fulfilling the American Dream.
[...] Although American workers put in 1,877 hours of work yearly, the most of any of the major industrialized countries (Rifkin pg. they do not enjoy work. Americans work for one reason; to become economically successful. If it were possible in the United States to cut down on work hours and still be able to be as economically successful, then American workers would punch the clock for far fewer hours. Europe has found a way to do this. The average workweek in Europe is thirty-five hours. [...]
[...] This is one of the reasons which Americans would be better off chasing the new European Dream instead of the old American Dream. Another major shortcoming of the American Dream is the work ethic of many modern day Americans. One of the major downfalls of American life in the twenty-first century is the fact that too many people are spoiled. Because of the great wealth so many Americans are accustomed to, a lot of children are brought up with the notion that they do not have to work in order to live a successful life. [...]
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