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Weaknesses Of The American Dream

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According to the Journalist and writer Nicholas Kristof, “Inequality causes problems by creating fissures in societies, leaving those at the bottom feeling marginalized or disenfranchised” (Nicolas). While some people believe that inequality is not an obstacle preventing them from achieve the American dream others think inequality makes the average citizen work hard to achieve it. In the article “The American Dream: Dead, Alive or on Hold”, Brandon King states that the American dream is still alive regardless of any hardships. It has only changed its definition. The American dream is no longer about being a part of the rich. He redefines it as the opportunity to work for an honest and secure way of living. Challenging King’s argument is Karen Olsson March in the article, “Up Against Wal Mart”, where she illustrates how the average citizens who work in big corporations struggle to make a living due to the bad working conditions that those big corporations have. Olsson’s argument about the practices of megacorporations illustrates the weaknesses in King’s argument that states the American dream has changed but it is still possible. In particular Olsson’s analysis of low wages, inequality of wealth, and the inability to save for retirement reveal shortcomings in King’s essay.
To begin with, King explains that raising the minimum wage does not help the poor, which contributes to his argument that the American dream is still achievable regardless of low wages. The welfare system

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