The American Nightmare
July 13th, 2009 | Categories: Life | 6 CommentsEveryone knows what “the American dream” is, but frankly, I haven’t heard anything on the news in the last year or so that remotely resembles the American dream. Who knows if it even exists anymore? It seems like the American dream has turned into the American nightmare, as illustrated in this graph [source]:
The American Nightmare
If that just isn’t totally and completely depressing regarding one’s prospects for the future in the “adult world,” I don’t know what is.
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Hi, I'm Manda. I'm a college student studying communications and languages. I like to read, shop, bake, and travel. I have a tendency to listen to my favorite songs on repeat for hours on end. Sometimes I catch myself thinking in a language other than English. 
There are ways to avoid it, if you’re smart. Credit card debt, car payments and even an expensive, extravagant wedding are all pitfalls that can be avoided, but we weren’t taught to avoid them–we were taught to embrace them and carry that burden because it’ the right thing to do.
I agree with Olga. I don’t think student loan can be avoided in anyway unless you are smart enough to get a full scholarship (or lucky enough to have rich generous parents). I suppose the problem is, people nowadays learn to spend money they don’t have.. They forget the virtue of working hard and saving up for things they want. :/
Agreeing with Melody. Half the problem is that people don’t know when to stop spending! If you don’t have the money, don’t spend it! Getting loans and putting off making payments on things right away is what got us all in this economic state. It seems like our generation simply hasn’t learned how to be responsible!
Awesome graph. I have to agree, as well, that people just don’t know when to stop spending. I am married, renting an apartment, a college grad, and I have absolutely no debt and quite a bit in savings. People just have to learn to be smarter!
Man, that is depressing. It’s pretty much the same with all Western countries right now. Young people just need to learn how to be careful with money as opposed to their previous generation. No credit cards for me! (other than my topshop card which I pay off every month XD).
I know here many people can’t even get onto the property market, getting a mortgage is near impossible with the deposit you now need.
I think we may see a lot of people studying to do careers that will make money rather than doing what they enjoy which is what has happened.
The graph is awesome. It looks very stylish. But what it represents is actually rather depressing. I agree with the previous posters saying that some of the pitfalls can be avoided like an expensive marriage and yes, young people need to learn the value of money. Even older once still have to learn it.