Thomas Jefferson lit that torch when he wrote in the Declaration of Independence that all men have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. This notion that everyone deserves a chance, and will most likely find it in America, has been arguably one of the most attractive and powerful ideas in modern history, guiding millions to Ellis Island, in search of a good job, a good education, a white picket fence and a two car garage.
where once America stood alone as the land of opportunity, there are now dozens of other countries that have surpassed the United States; chief among these is its unassuming northern neighbour, Canada.
Canadians live 2.5 years longer than Americans.
They are six times less likely to be incarcerated.
And the World Economic Forum ranks Canadians as the 6th happiest people in the world, while Americans lag behind at 13th.
Every aspect of the American dream is now more easily found in Canada.
United States, 46 per cent of the population has been able to obtain a college degree—in Canada it’s 59 per cent.
After graduation, Canadians are more likely to find work, with an employment rate four points better.
You are more likely to afford a house with a white picket fence in Canada, where home ownership rates are five per cent higher. Canadians also have more time to enjoy their homes, as they work over 80 hours fewer per year—and they take an extra three days vacation.
Compared to Canada, America isn’t even the “land of the free”, anymore. The Cato Institute’s Human Freedom Index considers Canadians to be the sixth freest people in the world, while Americans limp in at 23rd, behind Poland.
Not only have we achieved the fabled American Dream, we are arguably among the safest, healthiest, happiest human beings to have ever existed.
And what are we doing with this incredible good fortune? If we are painfully honest with ourselves, not much. We measure out our lives in coffee spoons and Caribbean holidays, a nation of overweight middle-class suburbanites, upset that a carbon tax adds an extra 5¢ at Tim Hortons, or one less day at the beach in Jamaica. No generation of Canadians has ever had more and been able achieve more than us—and no generation has been less ambitious. We have all the tools and all the opportunity to do great things, but no purpose, no national project, no imagination and no sense of determination.
I have two suggestions, two national projects towards which we could strive.
First, it is horrifying that while most of us luxuriate in the shiny Canadian Dream, many Indigenous Canadians live in communities without running water, basic healthcare, or any hope of a prosperous future.
And second, as the American Dream has now become Canadian, perhaps it is time we also took on the role as the land of the free, and opened our (immigration) doors wider still.
https://www.reddit.com/user/syoys
Why do liberals think the american dream means stupid shit like a marginally better life expectancy and vacation days? Are we seriously going to pat ourselves on the back over these things? When I think of living a dream it is not 3 more vacation days.
The american dream is doing the exceptional. It's going from to rags to riches. It is way easier to start a business in the states. The best tech start ups in the world are still american. And the best and brightest from Canada and across the globe still flock to the states and not the other way around. Do people seriously just think this is a coincidence? The dream chasers go south. If you want fame, fortune, freedom and wealth there is no better country to be from than the USA. 1.4% of Canadians are millionaires, 4.3% of americans are. We aren't even close.
https://www.reddit.com/user/PetticoatRule
Living a better, more pleasant, and longer life = stupid shit? Seriously now. Are we a nation of children with no sense of what it actually means to live a good life? Good God YES, those are things to strive for and "pat ourselves on the back" for if we achieve for the majority of our population.
Doing the exceptional means nothing if your quality of life is crap. Vacation days absolutely factor in to that, they are not all, but they are a factor. Dream chasers go south because it's a much larger (population-wise) country with more opportunity and options. I don't think that many people are so deluded as to believe they are going to be one of the lucky few to do something groundbreaking or become fabulously wealthy.
Being a millionaire is not a simple measure of success, especially when you consider that it means different things in different places. Being a millionaire in the tech hubs of California means you are living a nice middle class lifestyle.
"The American Dream" is not fame and fortune, freedom yes, and wealth yes in terms of having a good prosperous lifestyle and opportunity for yourself and your children. It's immature to believe that means "striking it rich". It's not "rags to riches", it's "good to better", it's opportunity and equality.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream
"The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity, and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth."
A society should be judged not only by how well the few at the top are doing, but also and arguably much more importantly how the majority are doing, and how bad those the worst off have it.
ID: 5628
NAME: the-american-dream-has-moved-to-canada
DESCRIPTION: [SUMMARY] the american dream has moved to canada - ] by Scott Gilmore @ macleans.ca - By every measure, Canada is the true place to find ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ Let’s stop squandering our good fortune.
AUTHOR: article.author/s
EDITOR: article.editor/s
PUBLISHER: article.publisher/s
STATUS: Write
PRIORITY: -5
OWNER ID: 75