Back in the day, every teenager, at least once during their school years, dreamed of going to the United States of America to visit one of the popular cities, like the Big Apple or Los Angeles. The majority of those dreams also involved moving across the pond, to pursue a successful career path and whatever life achievements one might imagine. It didn’t come from nowhere – the idea of the American Dream, which has endured since the 18th century, promises every person the freedom and opportunity to succeed and achieve a better life, with liberty being the highest value enshrined in the American Constitution.
Obviously, a lot has changed now. The USA, once seen on the geopolitical stage as a dove of peace and a teacher of democracy to rumbustious countries engulfed in debilitating wars, is no longer seen in this way. Everyone seems tired of America’s pretence of liberation, a disguise used to free markets rather than societies. Although the US does rather well at freeing children from attending school without obstacles, as the government does everything in its power to uphold the Second Amendment of the Constitution – the right to keep and bear arms.
As the story of Pax Americana does not seem to sell anymore, people have had to find themselves a new paradise to idealise. From my observations, we are now pursuing the Asian Dream, as the world is obsessed with K-pop, matcha lattes, traditional Chinese medicine and Pad Thai straight from street food vendors. Asian countries are what America used to be: innovative, modern and a magnet for opportunities, where every person – from musician to mechanic – can make their own luck. But Asia is perceived as less flawed than the US. Crime rates are much lower, food does not glow neon green and the culture seems richer.
I have to admit, I’ve fallen for this trend as well. There is no holiday for me without a trip to Asia, and I’ve never felt more comfortable eating rice with chopsticks. But honestly, isn’t it refreshing to change the balance of forces from time to time? Broader horizons guaranteed.
Rita Wiśniewska, a third-year European Law student