The American Dream still goes on.......

The recent crisis in the financial world has again triggered the question - and, of course, criticism - of America's leading role in the world and the American Dream. According to Matthias Nass (cf. "Verrat am amerikanischen Traum", in: Die ZEIT No 41, Oct 1, 2008, 4.) we all are involved in this crisis. "Der amerikanische Traum, das ist ja nicht nur die Freiheit, sehr schnell sehr viel Geld zu verdienen. Vielleicht ist er das sogar am wenigsten. Es ist vielmehr der Traum von der Freiheit des Bürgers, seiner Gleichheit, seiner Mitgestaltung des Gemeinwesens, der Ausschöpfung all seiner Talente und Möglichkeiten. Und, nicht zuletzt, von der demokratischen Korrektur gesellschaftlicher und politischer Irrtümer." (Ebd. 4) This dream which is also our dream has been dammaged and betrayed by Bush Administration. And we have to pay the price now. [See also: Jann Ross, "Helden des Rückzugs", in: Die ZEIT N0 41, Oct. 1, 2008, 4]

Michael Nauman doubts (cf. "Der amerikanische Traum" in: Die ZEIT (Nr. 41, 1. Okt.2008, 49f), that the United States and the promise of freedom, individual rights and the pursuit of happiness will be destroyed by the eight years under George Bush and by the current financial crisis . This dreams still exists in at least six different varieties, the oldest being written in the very document which declares America's independence asn well as in the Constitution from 1793.

The second dream , he continues, lays virtually behind the natural borders of the first frontier - the West which promised a new adventure of freedom and individual happiness, a dream which was voiced and symbolized by John Gast's painting Manifest Destiny. Within some 100 years thousand of settlers conquered and tamed this vast continent and thus laid the foundation of the modern political, economic and technological superpower. The West proved t be second challenge for a young and strong nation, whose people thought - and still think - that everything is possible. It is the area where America can regenerate and rejuvenate itself again and again as that famous hero Natty Bumppo in James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking tales, although the price was paid by the genocide of Native Americans and African Slaves.

The third aspect of this dreams lies in the promise of unlimited opportunities where everyone can become rich, a governor or even get into the White House. "Emanzipatorische Träume der Selbstverwirklichung konnten in den USA schneller Wirklichkeit werden als anderswo. Je weiter weg von den kulturellen, aus Europa mitgeschleppten Bindungen der Ostküste, umso besser. Kaliforniens Lebensstil, California Dreaming in den Worten der Mamas and the Papas, der kultivierte Jacuzzi-Hedonismus, die Religionsfreiheit im Supermarkt der Sekten und alternative Lebensstile, homosexuelle Emanzipation, Scheidungen à la carte und Massenmobilität (»Der typische Kalifornier ist ein zweitüriger Chevrolet«, so ein Spötter in den fünfziger Jahren): Dies alles kulminierte in den sechziger Jahren in der kurzlebigen messianischen Hippie-Euphorie – und endete schließlich um die Jahrtausendwende in einem politischen Katzenjammer, in der Blüte eines neuen kalifornischen Erwerbszweigs, dem privaten Betrieb von Zuchthäusern." (Ebd. 50)

Dream No 4 and 5 seem to have been destroyed or have become nightmare - from America's defeat in Vietnam to Bush's war in Iraque and the small happy dream of evey citizen owning his own house.

The last probably the most important dream is the belief of leading politician and intellectuals, so Michael Nauman, in the power of regeneration in the spirit of those people who once framed the Constitution. "Und wer wollte leugnen, dass diese erstaunliche Fähigkeit das gelöste Rätsel des amerikanischen Traumes ist?" (Ebd. 50 ). As Al Gore once stated druing his campaign fpr presidency: What makes America strong is the belief in its values dan tradtitions.