Courtney E. Martin "The New American Dream" Ted Talk
Courtney E. Martin presents a different but thoughtful viewpoint about America’s decline in this TED Talk. She says that rather than panic over the fact that many parents believe that their children will not be better off than they were, us Americans should change our approach and values. She advocates for an emphasis on community and creativity.
Martin does not ignore the problems that America is facing. She makes sure the audience understands that she does not like the gap between rich and poor. She also tells us that home ownership is at a relative low and that people move jobs on average every 4.7 years. Even though she does not mention this, it is important to note that working conditions and pay can also be hard. For example, many firefighters have to work multiple jobs to support their families (Sawyer). Also, many minimum wage workers live in homes with undesirable conditions such as high crime rates, no security deposits, no furniture, and infestations (Spurlock). However, rather than leaving the story at that, Sawyer suggests that people change their views on an ideal society. She says that rather than viewing ideal living as having a home with a white picket fence, America should view ideal living as having community and fellowship with one another. She uses effective logos to help support her argument. For example, she says that around two thirds of people living in multigenerational households say that it has improved their relationships. She also says that research shows that people are healthiest, happiest, and safest when they live intertwined with their neighbors. She lives in a cohousing community, in which the people share an industrial sized kitchen area where they have common meals twice a week. Because of her firsthand experience, she is qualified to talk about the subject. In a compelling example, she says that teenagers in her community feel comfortable asking adults that are not their parents for advice, as people there share both physical and emotional labor. Of course, because she advocates for community, her argument may be susceptible to bias, but overall, the argument is very compelling, especially with the use of factual evidence (logos). Because of the economic problems in America today, including the ones Martin mentioned, many people in America believe that the American Dream is no longer achievable. According to Tobak, about half of people aged 18 to 29 said that the American Dream is dead. However, Martin essentially suggests that people redefine the Dream. By the standard of owning an expensive house and being rich, the Dream may not be as accessible today, but if the Dream is of living in community with others, the Dream is not nearly as inaccessible. I mostly agree with Martin. Although I am shy and introverted, I sometimes wish that I lived with people who understand each other and help each other. I definitely long to be more connected with people. I have many problems and passions that I would like to be able to talk to more people about, and I would like to learn to help others more. |