In the same survey, Americans were also asked questions about what they believed constituted being "successful," with the majority naming things such as a steady job, financial security for the future, being able to retire without struggling, and having a secure place of residence. Less common were responses about owning a home or car and being able to buy other expensive goods, implying a subtle shift from the American Dream of the past to a more modest one today. In many ways, the American Dream of today is a trimmed down version of its former self. The real sign of success in our society used to be owning expensive items, namely cars and homes, and acquiring more material wealth. Living the American Dream meant going from dirt poor to filthy rich and becoming more than you could have ever imagined. Today, most people do not strive for a rags-to-riches transition, and instead prefer a stable, middle-class lifestyle, one in which they can focus on saving money for the future and having secure employment. For example, more and more people now rent their homes instead of buying; a recent study showed a decrease in home about 66.5% in 2010, and an increase in renter households of 1.1 million (Hoak, 2011). Americans are scrutinizing their spending habits more intensely, as shown in a survey completed in 2009 showing that approximately two-thirds of Americans have permanently changed their spending habits as a result of the Great Recession and that one-fourth hope to save more money for the future (Frietchen, 2009).
Looking at the fragile economy today, it is tempting to focus on the unevenness of the recovery: the stock market has made impressive rebounds in recent months, but the unemployment rate remains high. Thanks to bailouts for large corporations and stimulus measures intended to generate growth, economic activity seems to be on its way towards pre-recession levels, but the economy remains fragile.
