In a speech delivered at Cooper Union's Great Hall, the author reflected on the true meaning of the American Dream, inspired by James Truslow Adams' 1931 definition, a high school play, and a growing realization that the dream must be actively shared. This led to a personal pledge involving significant donations and a call for a more ambitious second step: guaranteed minimum income. Below, we explore the key ideas behind this vision.
What is the American Dream according to James Truslow Adams?
James Truslow Adams first defined the American Dream in 1931 during the Great Depression as a vision where life should be better, richer, and fuller for everyone, with opportunity based on ability or achievement. He emphasized that it was not merely about material wealth—motor cars and high wages—but a social order where every person can reach their fullest potential, recognized for who they are, regardless of birth or position. This definition goes beyond individual success; it calls for a society that enables each person to contribute and be valued, highlighting fairness and shared prosperity. Adams' words remain a powerful benchmark for evaluating how well the nation upholds its promise of equal opportunity and communal well-being.
How did a performance of The Outsiders reshape the understanding of the American Dream?
Attending a high school adaptation of S.E. Hinton's novel The Outsiders, the author realized the deeper meaning of the famous line "stay gold". Originally, the phrase had been only a poetic reference from the 1983 movie. But watching the story unfold on stage—of struggling youth, class divides, and fleeting innocence—the author understood that sharing the American Dream is essential. The dream cannot be merely attained individually; it is incomplete until it is extended to others. "Stay gold" became a call to preserve the dream's purity by actively passing it on. This insight inspired the essay "Stay Gold, America" and a personal pledge to redistribute resources, starting with significant charitable donations.
What is the "Stay Gold, America" essay and the Pledge to Share the American Dream?
Published on January 7th, the essay "Stay Gold, America" outlined a two-part Pledge to Share the American Dream. The first part involved immediate, short-term actions: the author and family donated eight $1 million contributions to nonprofit organizations addressing urgent needs—disaster relief, hunger, free expression, LGBTQ+ support, racial justice, financial literacy, refugee assistance, and reproductive health. Additional million-dollar gifts bolstered vital technical infrastructure, including Wikipedia, the Internet Archive, and open-source projects. The second part, still unfolding, calls for deeper systemic change, specifically a guaranteed minimum income to provide a foundation for all Americans. The pledge emphasizes that individual generosity alone is insufficient; sustainable solutions require restructuring economic safety nets.
Why did the author donate to technical infrastructure like Wikipedia and the Internet Archive?
Beyond direct social services, the author recognized that modern American Dream depends on robust digital infrastructure. Donations to Wikipedia, the Internet Archive, Common Crawl, and Let's Encrypt support free access to knowledge, preservation of cultural heritage, open data, and secure internet connections. These projects power much of the world today, enabling education, research, and innovation. By investing in open-source software and independent journalism, the pledge aims to reinforce the technological backbone that allows opportunity to flourish. The author argues that a shared dream requires shared tools—just as physical roads and schools once built the middle class, today's digital commons must be maintained and expanded for future generations.
What is the second, more ambitious part of the pledge and how does it relate to guaranteed minimum income?
The pledge's second act goes beyond temporary charity to address systemic economic insecurity. The author proposes a guaranteed minimum income as the "road not taken"—a policy that could ensure every American has a baseline of financial stability. This idea, often called universal basic income (UBI), would provide regular cash payments unconditionally, reducing poverty and freeing people to pursue education, caregiving, or entrepreneurship. The author sees it as a structural commitment to sharing the dream, not just a one-time gift. While the essay does not detail funding mechanisms, it frames guaranteed income as the logical next step after short-term relief: a society that truly lives up to Adams' vision must make opportunity universally accessible, starting with a floor of economic dignity.
How can other Americans participate in sharing the American Dream?
The author encourages every American to contribute in ways that align with their values and capacity. Short-term actions include donating to organizations effectively helping those most in need—whether local food banks, civil rights groups, or disaster response teams. But the deeper call is to advocate for systemic change, such as supporting policies like guaranteed minimum income. Sharing the dream means moving beyond individual charity to collective action: voting for leaders who prioritize economic security, volunteering time, leveraging skills for community benefit, and spreading awareness of the need for structural solutions. As the pledge shows, sharing is an active, ongoing process—not merely achieving personal success, but ensuring that success is possible for everyone, regardless of circumstance.