Pauli

Shauna Pauli
Professor A. Lohmeyer
Composition 1
13 December 2015
Synthesis Project
Connecting Brandon Kings The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold? and David
Samuelss What Obama Can Learn from Jay Z
Pauli: Good afternoon! Today we have David Samuels, staff writer for The Atlantic and author
of What Obama Can Learn from Jay Z and Brandon King, law student of Indiana University
and author of The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold? with us. Were so glad to have
you!
King: Glad to be here!
Samuels: Thank you so much for the invitation!
Pauli: Alright, lets dive right in. Both of your essays deal mainly with the American dream and
center around how the middle class deals with income inequality, right?
King: Yes, I suppose that would be a way to sum it up. The essay I wrote in 2011 asked the
question of what the American dream is today. Since its coinage way back in 1931, its no
surprise that the meaning has changed. I believe that todays American dream is simply to strive
to be middle class. The American public wants to have the ability to have a family, save money
for the future, and have a secure job. (611)

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Samuels: I wrote about how Jay Zs humble rags-to-riches story was able to give hegemony to
Obama in the 2012 election. Although King contends that the definition of the American dream
has changed, and I kind of agree with that, the traditional miracle success story is still able to
inspire and motivate many Americans today.
Pauli: I see. So, David, would you say that Kings idea that the American dream has changed is
false?
Samuels: Not necessarily. I definitely agree that its evolved from where it started in, what was
it, 1931? Thats because America has obviously changed since 1931. However, Im not sure if
King contends that the rags-to-riches story has lost weight or importance today because of that
evolution.
Pauli: In other words, youre wondering about where he stands on this issue? Brandon, care to
shed some light and clarify a little?
King: Of course. What I am essentially trying to get across is that while the rags-to-riches story
can still inspire many, that is no longer the base goal of society today. Back when America was
younger, people idolized luxurious material possessions and the purchase of expensive goods. In
my essay, I quoted the coinage of the American dream where James Truslow Adams said, [the
American dream] is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for
everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement, regardless of social
class or circumstances of birth. (610-11) Today, however, the goal of many Americans is to
comfortably stay afloat, not to live an extravagant lifestyle. The American dream is to be able to
provide for themselves today and save for their families tomorrow.

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Pauli: Thank you. A main point in both of your writings is that the have-mores and have-lesses
are not at equal advantage at the current time. Could either of you elaborate on why this is the
case or why this theme is especially important?
Samuels: I think that most people are aware of the wage/opportunity disparity that exists in our
society today. The reason this is important is because in order for any change to occur, the
majority of the American public has to trust its leader. (par. 12) How does the leader gain this
kind of trust? Bridge the gap as best as possible. Thats where the American dream comes in.
King: I quote economist Robert Reich in my essay. He says, As long as income and wealth
keep concentrating at the top, and the great divide between Americas have-mores and havelesses continues to widen, the Great Recession wont end, at least not in the real economy. (612)
I believe that this gap came to be through years of unequal distribution of wealth and sizable
unemployment after the tragedy of 9/11. The American dream has changed as far as what people
today want for themselves and their families, and most people simply want success. However,
with such a divide between the wealthy and poor, America has far to go. Despite that, this gap
may even make Americans want to work even harder to succeed, maintaining one of the values
that this country was built upon.
Pauli: Alright. Do you think that the American public has done a good job of reacting to the
income disparity?
Samuels: Not at first, no. When the Great Recession hit at first, people simply didnt know what
to do. I know a lot of families who were at their wits end. This is why its so important for
people to trust the president. (par. 15) In times of hardship, the fix is not going to be a snap of the

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fingers. It will take time. If the American public believes in their leader and trusts his judgement,
then it not only allows them to panic less, it puts less pressure on the president which allows him
to think things through more clearly and actually develop a plan. A good leader needs to know
how to deal with tension. (par. 15)
Pauli: Do you think Obama has learned that skill from Jay Z?
Samuels: Yes. I think that Jay Z helped Obama gain a lot of credibility with the struggling
American public. Jay Z is always unapologetic about his rise. (par. 5) He knows where he came
from and he knows that he got to where he is now with hard work and help from others, too.
Obama has also been able to show that, even though he is not white and therefore started from a
lower totem pole to begin with (regardless of whether he had wealth as a youth), he was able to
succeed. Rising above adversity is a surefire way to gain the trust of a group of people.
Pauli: Alright, Brandon, your turn. Whats your opinion on the American response to the recent
recession?
King: I think that overall, weve done a good job of pushing through. However, I believe that
there are more effective ways to fix things than those that weve been doing. We should fund
large businesses so they are encouraged to hire more, increase wages, and gain stability. (613)
Pauli: I dont completely follow. Shouldnt we also fund struggling businesses so that the havenots have the opportunity to thrive? Can you explain your reasoning a bit more?
King: What the government has been trying to do is make the poor richer. For example, they
raised the minimum wage in the hopes that it would increase worker productivity. However, what

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the federal government should do is fund Wall Street and small businesses as well, in order to
stimulate the economy. (613) If we give money to the wealthy, they will spend it and stimulate
the economy, making it healthier. Over time, this will help the American economic situation and
benefit the poor.
Pauli: Well said. Alright, its probably time to start finishing up. Do you gentlemen have any
final words?
King: Certainly. The American dream has changed. In order to be keep the American dream
alive, we must continue to strive for success and hold tight to the glistening standard America
has upheld for centuries.
Samuels: Although the American dream may have changed slightly, its important to remember
where we came from. Never forget your roots and remember how your hardships have shaped
your life. You are where you are today because of who you were yesterday. The desire to achieve
the American dream is something that can bridge the gaps between the rich and the poor.
Pauli: Thank you both so much for coming out today! I learned a lot from todays discussion.
Ultimately, I think that the American dream is a tradition. Its important that we uphold it, but the
essence of the dream alone will not fix income disparity or any other problems in this country.
We need a strong leader, and we need to be able to trust him or her. The American dream can
boost our morale, but reform is whats truly needed. Thats a wrap!
[1339 words]

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Works Cited
King, Brandon. "The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?" Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy
Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say I Say with Readings. 3rd ed. New York: W. W.
Norton, 2015. 610-16. Print.
Samuels, David. "What Obama Can Learn From Jay Z." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company,
07
Nov. 2012. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.