The American Dream has always been rooted in the idea that no matter what circumstances a person is born into, they can rise to the top through hard work and dedication. seizing opportunities. This dream – the belief underlying American exceptionalism – is why millions of immigrants have come to the United States over the years. In 1932, Aldous Huxley, a Briton, published a book that went directly against this great American ideal. In Huxley's Brave New World, citizens are predestined before birth to a certain socio-economic group and conditioned from an early age to accept this status. Although this idea horrifies American readers, their expectations of their own socioeconomic mobility are gradually moving away from the realities of life in the United States, and the consequences of this shift could be serious. Americans believe they live in an upwardly mobile society that is the opposite of the predestined existence of Brave New World, but perhaps this opposite is, in reality, a mirror image. Huxley's Brave New World fast forwards several centuries to an imagined civilization that has moved beyond the traditional birth and upbringing of children by parents. This society eliminates the uncertainties of life in order to promote consumerism and reduce social unrest. There are five essential castes: Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas and Episilons. Caste is crucial because a citizen's job is increasingly menial the lower they are in the hierarchy. In this civilization, fetuses are kept in bottles and manipulated with chemicals to be mentally and physically prepared for the tasks assigned to them. After settling (birth), they are subjected to years of conscious and subconscious instruction that teaches them not to question their...... middle of paper ...... reality. Works Cited DeParle, Jason. “It’s harder for Americans to rise from the lower rungs.” The New York Times June 4, 2012: 1-4. Nytimes.com. The New York Times Company, January 4, 2012. Web. April 25, 2012. Foroohar, Rana. “What happened to upward mobility?” Time November 14, 2011: 1-5. Time.com. Time Inc., November 14, 2011. Web. April 25, 2012.Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper & Row, 1969. Print. “Survey Results: Economic Mobility and the American Dream.” Chart. Economicmobility.org. The Pew Charitable Trusts, March 19, 2011. Web. April 28, 2012. “Upper limit.” The Economist [Chicago] April 15, 2010: 1-4. Economist.com. The Economist Newspaper Limited, April 15, 2010. Web. April 25, 2012. Zakaria, Fareed. “The downward path to upward mobility.” The Washington Post November 9, 2011: 1. Washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post Company, November 9, 2011. Web. April 25. 2012.