The separate beliefs of Puritan society can be included in the American dream or not, depending on whose dream it is. They wanted to create their own utopia, they wanted religious freedom, but they also wanted everyone who didn't share their dream at the bottom of a well. If this adds anything to our knowledge of the American Dream, it's that it wasn't a dream for everyone or else that American Dream is somewhat of an oxymoron in the sense that they tend to conflict in a very non-dreamlike way. To put this into a simple example: two rival business owners. Each's American Dream involves their own company succeeding. This isn't possible without the other company going completely bankrupt. In what way is that in tune with the positive connotation of the American Dream?
Despite our best efforts to attach a solid definition, and indeed as many of us have already described in no small amount of detail, you cannot set the American dream in cement. The Puritans no doubt had their own interpretations as do we all. But perspectives such as these are most commonly taught to the public in one dimension: one that can be easily grasped by the audience. Take for example the relatively common ideas of good and evil. Even these are interchangeable based on an individual's perspective. An evil man never believes himself to be evil. He thinks that he is doing the right thing, and that the good guys are the misguided ones. And maybe he would be the right one in the broad sceme of things. To tie this all back, were the Puritans really so radical? From their perspective they were in the right mindset and everyone else was corrupt. Whether the connotations that society gave them are deserved is irrelevant. you could just as easily ask the same question about the Puritans' views on society: were society's flaws in the eyes of the puritans deserved?
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