In the book "The Geopolitics of Emotion" by Dominique Moisi, he discusses issues that are happening around the world. He attempts to map the world according to three main emotions: hope, fear, and humiliation. Moisi claims, "But now some Americans are starting to doubt the unique value of America's individualism" (Moisi 114). Moisi is correct in the way that he states that some Americans have lost hope in themselves and the American individualism, which has resulted in the fading of the American dream. The Americans Moisi describes are generally individuals who have gone through financial hardships and have different definitions of the American Dream. In the United States, the American Dream is a very vague idea, as people tend to see only their own viewpoints and perceptions. The American Dream is to have social stability, be able to achieve one's full potential, and start a new life where one won't be judge by his or her past. Despite the social class or extent of poverty an individual may face, there will always be hope for better. Individualism is independence, freedom of speech, and the value of an individual. The American Dream and individualism go hand in hand because citizens of the U.S have the freedom to pursue their dreams no matter how realistic or unrealistic they may be. Individualism is the foundation of this belief and the standards of living in the United States make the dream unattainable.
The inequalities of the social classes make those who are struggling financially not believe in the American Dream. Society has developed the concept of social class to categorize people into different groups based on economic, political and socio-economic status (The Importance of Collecting Data and Doing Social Scientific Research on Race). America is a place where all individuals are supposed to be equal, but social classes have created a division in the society. In president Obama's speech, he states, "Income inequality produces stagnating wages for middle- and working-class.
