”ジャパニーズ・ドリーム”は何？

This week, let’s talk about something called the “American Dream”, the stereotypical ideal life and lifestyle in America. Then, let’s talk about what is the “Japanese Dream” for most Japanese (if there is one)?

The phrase "American Dream" was coined in 1931 by an American writer named James Adams in his book, The Epic of America. Part of what Adams wrote was that the “American Dream” was, "a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement...It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." （アメリカンドリームとは、誰にでも、成功への機会は、均等に与えられており、人種や性別、社会的地位に関係なく、勤勉と努力によって、成功を勝ち取ることが出来るものとされている、アメリカ合衆国における成功の概念。最近では、アメリカン・ドリームと言うと、物質的所有を成功の象徴としているが、元々は、社会平等である理想の国づくりを目指したところにあった概念であった。）

When America was founded, this was the American Dream but certainly after World War II, during the baby boom, I believe the American Dream changed to mean something much different, something that has been more about material goods rather than wanting to live in a country where all people are treated equally.

Since the end of WWII, the most common stereotypical image of the American Dream has been:

A big house with a white picket fence
A beautiful wife (for a man) or a handsome husband with a good paying job (for a woman)
Two kids (a boy and a girl)
Two cars
A dog
And enough money to keep up with the Joneses.

Now of course, this is a stereotypical image of America and Americans but this stereotype has been the norm for the last 60 years or so. That popular view is changing with the next generation and as is often the case, when there is a fundamental change in society, there is usually tension, disagreement and often anger. This is where America is today—fighting over the direction of the future of America. 

So my question is; Is there a Japanese equivalent of the American Dream in Japanese society? What is the typical dream for families in Japan? What was it for your parent’s generation? How about the next generation? Would you fight to keep the dream the way it is? And what is your “Japanese Dream”? 

I will look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions when we speak next.

Keith//

Vocabularies:


American Dream
アメリカンドリーム
（米国建国の理想）

stereotypical
ステレオタイプの

ideal
理想

coin
（語句を）新しくつくる

founded
建国された

baby boom
ベピーブーム

material goods
物質的な所有物

white picket fence
白い杭のフェンス

keep up with the Joneses
隣人たちと張り合う
（例えば、誰かが新しい車を買ったら、それに後れを取らないように自分達も新しい車を買うといった行為に関して使う表現）

fundamental
根底となる

tension
緊張感

disagreement
意見の相違

equivalent
同等のもの