American traditional goods

Ask most people how they define the American dream, and they will probably say, "Success." Since Europeans discovered a "new world" in the Western Hemisphere, the dream of individual opportunity has taken root in the United States. Early immigrants like Hector Saint Jean de Crevecoeur spoke highly of the freedom and opportunities found in this new land. His passionate description of a classless society has aroused the imagination of many European readers, in which anyone can succeed through honesty and hard work. "We are all excited about the unfettered and restrictive spirit of this industry, because everyone works for themselves ... We don't have a prince, because we work hard, starve and bleed for whom: we are the most perfect society in the world." In this land, the promise that "a person's hard work returns in step with his labor progress" attracted poor immigrants from Europe and promoted the country's expansion to the western region.

Our national myth is full of examples. Benjamin Franklin is a model of self-taught and self-made. He came from an ordinary family and later became a famous scientist, philosopher and politician. /kloc-In the 20th century, Horatio Alger, a young novelist, became the best-selling writer in the United States with his self-made story. The concept of success puzzles us: we spend millions of dollars every year reading books about the rich and famous, learning how to "make a fortune in real estate without down payment", and the myth of "dressing for success" even invades our interpersonal relationships: today, "success" in marriage or parenthood is as important as success in business.

But dreams can easily become nightmares. Every American who wants to "succeed" also knows the fear of failure, because the myth of success inevitably means the comparison between the rich and the poor, the stars and the unknown. Under the pressure of myth, we become addicted to status symbols: we try to live in the "right" community, wear "right" clothes and eat "right" food. These distinctive symbols assure us and others that we firmly believe in the basic equality of all people, but try our best to separate ourselves from our compatriots.