The American dream was at one time to be better off then your parents were...defined by financial stability, the house with the white picket fence in the suburbs, and a better life for your children.But somewhere this dream went terribly wrong. Now Americans are preoccupied on materialism and having "stuff." The American dream is no longer a better life for you and your family, but having more then the guy who lives next door. Jealousy, envy, mistrust, and greed now fuel the American dream. Suburban sprawl, with three SUVs in every driveway, a summer home in the country, and all the other materialistic nonsense that was once reserved for only the wealthy and elite. The expectation now is that a good education should result in a six figure salary...gone are the values of hard work to get ahead, honesty and integrity. It's no longer what you know but who you know, and the endless cycle of political maneuvering, ass kissing, and stepping on others to get ahead dominates the corporate landscape. Providing a better life for your children now translates into spoiling them rotten, without being burdened by the inconvenience of actually having to raise them. The American dream is out of control....(if it ever was one)