Chris and the American Dream -

[renomakicwc]

You probably heard about the American Dream at one point: It's the reason many immigrants leave their old home, believing that in America, if you work hard and march onward to your dreams, you'll eventually get to live the "dream" of having dozens of fancy cars, a big house to put them all in that is populated by busty maids (or buff butlers), and so much cash that you have your own swimming pool made up of the stuff, complete with golden diving board.

But, as many poor souls soon realize, the American Dream is really nothing but a bunch of bullshit. It doesn't help that the "land of the free" doesn't even like most of them, blaming them for their problems because they fill up job positions (Even jobs that most people wouldn't go near anyways), among other things.

But now I ramble on..

Now, I doubt this is how you see it, but that's how I see it. But what about Chris?

Has he ever heard of the American Dream? If so, what does he think it's about? Does Chris himself seek out the American Dream, or does he think he is already living it?

 

[pickleniggo]

The concept of the American Dream is actually a pretty antiquated ideal and doesn't really apply to the here and now. If there are immigrants that really come to America expecting great things, then I feel sorry for them.
Anyway, Chris has probably heard of the American Dream in his English classes - if he wasn't sleeping through them. The idea pops up a lot in classic literature such as Death of a Salesman or perhaps Chris' favorite piece Of Mice and Men.
There is no way Chris thinks he's won the American Dream.

 

[BillRiley]

The concept of the American Dream is actually a pretty antiquated ideal and doesn't really apply to the here and now. If there are immigrants that really come to America expecting great things, then I feel sorry for them.
Anyway, Chris has probably heard of the American Dream in his English classes - if he wasn't sleeping through them. The idea pops up a lot in classic literature such as Death of a Salesman or perhaps Chris' favorite piece Of Mice and Men.
There is no way Chris thinks he's won the American Dream.

Oh, there's probably a few wingnuts out there who still buy into that Horatio Alger shit. But, yeah, I don't think Chris has mentioned it specifically.

 

[Grand Number of Pounds]

He's kind of the opposite of the American Dream.

He's done nothing constructive with his life and he pretty much has everything he wants. Well, at least stuff he can buy. He even lost his virginity because he could pay for it.

 

[Alec Benson Leary]

Although having no love for the American dream, Chris has an odd history of using the "proud to be an American" cliche as a way to make himself sound good. I don't know where he got it from exactly, although I'd guess maybe a former serviceman like Bob would have expressed pride in his country while Chris was growing up, and Chris maybe decided he could be a shining example of excellence just by parroting the words.

 

[DrChristianTroy]

No. I doubt Chris has heard of Dusty Rhodes.

 

[Kosher Dill]

The "American Dream" as I always understood it wasn't quite so comically exaggerated. The gist of it is finding a solid respectable job, buying a house on your salary, and having your wife, 2.5 kids, and white picket fence.

Chris, on the other hand, disdains work, will inherit a house (maybe), and will never start a family. That last part is obviously the only one that bothers him.

 

[Shadow Fox]

Chris pooh-poohed other people's anxiety over the recession by saying something to the effect of "I've just kept doing what I've been doing and I've gotten along all right." He has no concept of working hard (or at all) to achieve anything - the closest he's ever come to touching upon this subject was when he told Jackie he was entitled to his free gubmint money because of the trolling he went through and the suffering brought about by his autism. He filled his imaginary utopia with soup hotels where people would be given free food and lodging with nothing expected of them in return.

Chris expects that everybody's needs will, or should, just be handily taken care of - by the government, by GodBearJesus himself, or by some other equally mysterious entity - though he has no clue what this would really entail. The idea that people might have to struggle to achieve some form of security is completely alien to him. He's probably heard of the American Dream and might understand that it refers to acquiring a nice house and a family to share it with, but the notion that these things are achieved by discipline, sacrifice, and delayed gratification are beyond his feeble understanding.

 

[Bugaboo]

The "American Dream" as I always understood it wasn't quite so comically exaggerated. The gist of it is finding a solid respectable job, buying a house on your salary, and having your wife, 2.5 kids, and white picket fence.

Chris, on the other hand, disdains work, will inherit a house (maybe), and will never start a family. That last part is obviously the only one that bothers him.

That was the American Dream I heard of to, which pretty much came into existence (in it's present form) in the 50's because for most people having a good job, a nice house in the suburbs, marriage and children was pretty much the ultimate thing that is realistically achievable for the majority of people. I've never heard of the version where:
1. you come to America
2. ???
3. Richer than Scrooge MacDuck

Everyone who comes to America pretty much attempts to find themselves a job, because that's the first step towards beginning a life anywhere.
Chris doesn't even seem to want to attempt to complete the first step of the American Dream. Because for Chris the American Dream is vidya and having a mommy forever.

 

[Henry Bemis]

Chris doesn't even seem to want to attempt to complete the first step of the American Dream. Because for Chris the American Dream is vidya and having a mommy forever.

The first step of the American Dream is, in a way, pledging yourself to America and its ideals, or, in general, to something bigger than yourself. Chris's loyalties and ideals begin and end with him.

(I wonder if he could even point to the country on a map.)

 

[BigAltheGreat921]

Chris is more an example of "first world problems" than the American Dream, which I also agree is a very outdated concept.

 

[Marvin]

Chris is aware of the American Dream, but he hates work, so he wants to be the housewife. He's thinking that he's being a feminist by permitted his wife to be the one to support the household, to be the dominant one and to be the pursuer.

 

[CatParty]

Chris is aware of the American Dream, but he hates work, so he wants to be the housewife. He's thinking that he's being a feminist by permitted his wife to be the one to support the household, to be the dominant one and to be the pursuer.

He'll dress like the housewife though.

 

[BALLZ-BROKEN]

I thought the American Dream was a night club in Vegas that burned down.

All joking aside though, the idea of "the harder you work, the more you can better yourself" does have some merit, but there are many factors working against the common person. Also, it doesn't help that we've been way too fat and happy in America, even now, to try and change those factors. Unfortunately, a lot of people lean towards Chris' mentality, that they can just fart through life, get a degree in worthlessness, and they expect a six figure job when they graduate.

 

[LordCustos3]

I thought the American Dream was a night club in Vegas that burned down.

Naw, your thinking of the Old Psychiatrists Club.

 

[CWCissey]

I guess someone has to do it...

HEY CHREES-CHAN! LET US GO OUT AND LOOK AT BEEG AMERICAN TEETEES!

 

[José Mourinho]

I guess someone has to do it...

HEY CHREES-CHAN! LET US GO OUT AND LOOK AT BEEG AMERICAN TEETEES!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.................

Gorgeous.

Very gorgeous.

 

[MysticMisty]

I'm sure Chris is aware of the concept. His ancient parents got him into shows during the era of a respectable family and a white picket fence. It's hard to imagine them not telling him about the American Dream, especially Bob. Hell, maybe he thinks that because they had him that he made their dream come true.

 

[darkhorse816]

I love Death of a Salesman: the quintessential failure of the American dream. But the thing is that Willie tried hard, really hard, but he became to old, and the system failed him, which happens a lot: people work their asses off, but they get nothing. When you think about the person who the American Dream truly failed for was Bob.

 

[cypocraphy]

He's living the dream of every grade school aged boy. No School,no job...just eating junk food and playing video games all day.

When I was 10 I would have thought that sounded pretty cool too.