The myth of the American dream exposed in "The end of the American dream" by Niall Ferguson? How rising inequality and social stagnation are changing us for the worse. and “The Myth of Mobility” by Timothy Noah. The common stereotype of the American dream is a house with a white picket fence, a deck with a grill, kids, dogs and, most importantly, happiness. This is what most people think of with the American dream. Some may say that the American dream is different for everyone and that it is what everyone does with their life. Niall Ferguson and Timothy Noah are two men who say the American dream doesn't exist – or, if it did, it's gone. The American dream is indeed a myth, just a term for simple luck, and it affects people because of all the misguided hopes and dreams of the middle and lower classes. Ferguson and Noah argue that social mobility is caused by the upper class, and I agree because, in my experience, the only thing that has ever mattered is your last name and how much money is tied to that name. In Niall Ferguson's article, "The End of the American Dream: How Rising Inequality and Social Stagnation Are Reshaping Us for the Worse," Ferguson explains social mobility, inequality, and how the "American Dream might be disappear. It begins with a quote from Elon Musk, which is an example promised by the medium of paper...America. Those of us who “climb a ladder” have simply found the ladder misplaced, a simple example of luck. Most of the time, the ladder is passed down from generation to generation with great care, with a steel lock that a stranger could not break. Ferguson and Noah make excellent arguments for why mobility doesn't exist. They explain that your status depends on who "mom" and "dad" are, and that the American dream is disappearing, if not non-existent. The ability to move forward depends on who your parents are, so I hope you have the right parents. Works Cited Ferguson, Niall. "The end of the American dream? How rising inequality and social stagnation are changing us for the worse." The Daily Beast August 12, 2013. Online. January 12, 2014. Noah, Timothy. “The myth of mobility”. The New Republic 243.3 (2012): 14-17. MAS finished. Internet. January 6. 2013.