The American Dream

Here is the beginning of a front page Wall Street Journal article from a couple days ago: "Detroit's money troubles are starting to put a key part of the American dream - a pricey new car - out of reach for many people". I was never a fan of the American dream when I thought it was just about comfort - having a decent house, yard, car, furniture. Those things could facilitate an interesting and meaningful life, but as dreams go you couldn't get much more boring or empty. Is extravagance really part of the dream now? Does your car really have to be new and pricey? I wonder if that kind of standard is the American dream for people who accomplished the first dream and needed a new one but didn't take the time or energy to look for one that would matter.