Competition- Class- American Dream

The American Dream

The concept that every American should have access to equitable opportunities and freedom in order to enjoy financial security and happiness can be characterized as the American dream. But it won’t become a fact until every person believes their rights are respected and protected. Both those who support it and those who don’t entirely concur with it exist.

The Three Pillars of the American Ideal

Prosperity, freedom, and democracy are the three pillars of the American ideal. In terms of wealth, it alludes to the story in which people toil diligently in order for their families to become middle-class. Prosperity also entails parents making many sacrifices to provide a better life for their children and in return the children should not forget their humble beginnings once they are successful. In terms of freedom and democracy, the USA is a country where deliberate discrimination against any ethnic group can be publicly condemned (Atwater 124-126). The entertainment industry plays a big role as far as portraying what the American dream entails. The TV series “MasterChef” is a perfect example of the American dream. In the show, chefs from various walks of life are presented with the same ingredients to come up with the best dish according to the judges. The winner gets a trophy, his/ her own cookbook and $250,000. However, there are some TV shows which question the reality of the American dream. The American dream revolves around equal opportunity yet some shows depict how African Americans do not have the same opportunities as other Americans. They struggle with racism, police brutality and poverty making it harder for them to climb the social ladder (Stamps 10-12). The TV series “Blackish” revolves around an African American family which lives in a rich neighbourhood. The series explores police brutality against black people and the parents even tell their children that as long as they are black the law enforcement system is rigged against them.

Christine Ha: The American Dream Personified

An individual who perfectly portrays the American dream is Christine Ha. She is an American chef of Vietnamese origin who is legally blind and won the third season of MasterChef USA in 2012. She has her own cookbook called “Recipes from my Home Kitchen” and the judge on MasterChef Vietnam season three. She also co-hosts the Four Senses online show where she discusses eye health and how to achieve independence in the kitchen. Her net worth is estimated at $200, 000. Ha acquired a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the University of Texas in Austin. She also pursued a master’s degree and majored in Fine Arts. She did not study culinary arts but her passion in cooking led her to read cooking blogs and eventually enrol as a participant in MasterChef. She also runs a school which helps other disabled adults and children (Oren 244). Apart from this, Ha runs a cooking blog named “The Blind Cook” and also writes for other websites and publications. Currently, Ha lives in a big house with very classy furniture. She also drives a luxurious car.

Representation of the American Dream in “MasterChef”

The show “MasterChef” is a representation of the version of the American dream which dictates that everyone in the USA can achieve success regardless of their background if they work hard. Christine Ha is an American who belongs to the minority in a number of ways. First, she is of Vietnamese origin and second, she is visually impaired. Her success in the show shows that anyone can be successful in the USA regardless of their social standing, culture, gender and health. She has proven that an individual does not need the sense of sight to cook; as long as one has talent he/ she can scale to great heights. She was given an equal opportunity for success with her competitors and came out on top despite her lack of sight. The show depicts an accurate representation of class. First, the guests who are served during the various stages of the competition are high profile celebrities and businessmen. Second, when Ha wins the competition, she moves to another economic class as she gets $250,000 dollars in cash among other benefits.

Conclusion

Overall, the American dream is a reality to some people while others oppose its existence. Shows such as “MasterChef” have proven that people can achieve their dreams in the USA regardless of their social and economic backgrounds as long as they put in hard work. Christine Ha, the winner of the show’s third season was the first blind contestant and winner of the show. After her win, she made a lot of career advancements as she writes her own cookbook, a co-host, a judge in MasterChef Vietnam and also writes in various blogs and websites. However, some individuals do not feel that the American dream is a reality. There are still struggles of racism especially in the black community. Most African Americans do not believe that they have the same opportunities to succeed as the rest of the population. They feel that the law is not on their side and often condemn police brutality against them.

Works Cited

Atwater, Deborah F. “”Senator Barack Obama: The rhetoric of hope and the American dream.“.” Journal of Black Studies 38.2 (2007): 121-129.

Oren, Tasha. “”The Blood Sport of Cooking: On Asian American Chefs and Television.“.” Global Asian American Popular Cultures (2016): 244.

Stamps, David. “”The Social Construction of the African American Family on Broadcast Television: A Comparative Analysis of The Cosby Show and Blackish.“.” Howard Journal of Communications (2017): 1-16.