Thinking and Writing: Boyhood and the American Dream

We all love the story of the underdog—watching someone start from nothing and make something of his or her life. Some would say that this is the essence of the American Dream, that anyone can make it and be someone. This dream is what America was founded upon and has positively influenced the prosperity of the United States and its citizens today. If we move away from the underdog story though, there is a bit of a dark side to the American dream. To put it one way, do we all love stories of the rich getting richer? Not as much, it seems at a certain level of prosperity this dream starts to sour. Once a certain sustaining amount of wealth has been accrued the acquisition of more starts to be more poisonous to the country than good for it. Maybe the American dream needs a bit of an amendment and the 2014 film Boyhood argues rather beautifully for how a change can come about.

I want to make clear that it is not that I think the dream of working hard or pursuing dreams is what needs to change. Instead it is what we are working towards that needs a change. But first off lets talk about the dream of economic prosperity and how it does work today. If you haven’t heard of it, there is a website called Humans of New York where the photographer takes pictures of strangers on the street and conducts short interviews with them. Here is one mans story that captures the classic American Dream.

"I came over with a student visa. I wanted to study computers, but I couldn’t enroll in school until I could prove that I had money to pay the tuition. The first three weeks I slept on trains. I kept asking people where I could find the Senegalese community. Eventually I met a person who told me to go to Harlem because there was an African community there. In Harlem, I found an association for Senegalese people. And they had places to stay for people who were new. I did restaurant and cleaning jobs for a couple of years. Eventually I met my wife and became a citizen. And now I have a security job, so I can finally enroll in school."

Here we have the portrait of a man who has come to America to change his life. Through hard work he is changing his economic status. Things are not easy but he is making it happen. I am all for that American dream. But to an already somewhat economically established American, I don’t know that this dream is such a good thing. Take for instance this portrait again from Humans of New York.

"I was hoping I’d be somebody by now."

I don’t mean to read into what this mans life story is too much, but his portrait here illustrates the concept that somehow you have to be special or rich. This is where the dream becomes less of a good thing. It seems this goal of being rich at all costs is what drives the wealth gap today. It seems for those who have money, the idea is always to have more. Many people who don’t have enough are then suppressed while the rich get richer. What Boyhood is able to do so well is communicate that maybe this classic American dream, after a certain level of economic prosperity, is no longer necessary. Here is one last portrait from Humans of New York.

"At this point in my life, I’m trying to figure out the things I truly care about."

"What’s something you care about less than you did ten years ago?"

"Being extraordinary."

On one end we could say that this man has given up on his dreams. Dreams to be unique and to be on top. So is this a resignation? Is this giving up or is it realizing that to be special or on top is not what it is about. Boyhood gives a beautiful portrait of the change that can occur in peoples lives. Both the mother and father start out in pretty lowly circumstances—sort of white trashy and poor. But over the course of the movie they mature and change. The mother goes to school and becomes a professor. Though by the end of the film she is only marginally, if at all, better off economically. Yet her whole world has changed and you see it. You see it in her effect on those around her, in her demeanor and in her stability. Aren’t those things worth more than money? Over the course of the narrative we see little moments in this families life, which add up to something that is substantial and joyful. Which is worth much more than money or fame.

Hero by Family of the Year is a song prominently featured in this film. The lyrics help say a lot about the view of the American dream communicated here.

"Let me go

I don't wanna be your hero

I don't wanna be a big man

Just wanna fight with everyone else"

There is this societal pressure to live up to the American dream in the sense of getting rich or making it to the top. This song says I don’t care about standing out, I can have a fulfilling life based on things more important than money. I don’t need to do something that will go down in history or make a mark on the world. I am happy living my life like everyone else is.


This idea is a little scary, it almost sounds communist. It seems that American culture is to get your full slice of the pie and it builds industry and propels America forward. If everyone is content with where they are complacency can easily form. But this isn’t what the argument is, the argument is for continual improvement but a focus on living a wholesome life rather than so desperately seeking money. This is what we see in Boyhood, not a dramatic change in economic status but in education and quality of life. Another concern is if Boyhood could really make that big of a change in society. I think the answer is no, the film Boyhood by itself will not make this change, but it has influenced my life and many others I’m sure. The more material that can communicate this idea, the more the change is actually possible. So I think it is a step in the right direction.

There might be worry that this idea would tear apart what America is all about. This may be true, but this may not be such a bad thing. With an ever-increasing wealth gap the root of the problem might be the philosophy of more money no matter how much you have. What Boyhood does is says that a decent living is enough for a happy life. This is done so powerfully because it isn’t preachy or in your face it simply gives an example of how it actually works. Within its sphere of influence I think it will make a difference.


Sources:

http://www.humansofnewyork.com

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/familyoftheyear/hero.html