The American Dream—a promise of opportunity, prosperity, and upward mobility for all who work hard and persevere—has been the cornerstone of American identity for centuries. It symbolizes the belief that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success through dedication and ingenuity. However, by 2025, many Americans feel that this dream has become unattainable. The erosion of this ideal stems from a combination of social, economic, and cultural factors that undermine personal responsibility, traditional values, and the foundational principles upon which the nation was built.

These factors inspired this project on the shift of belief in the attainment of the American dream. I photographed nostalgic symbols of traditional America that existed in the decade after the Great Depression when the American economy was recovering, and the ideals of The American Dream were being realized. I Inverted the images to create their negative versions, changing the original colors to their opposites, reflecting the divergent perceptions of The American Dream to new generations.