Society's idea of the American Dream has changed over the course of the past sixty years. Some think the Protestant Work Ethic was a precursor to the American Dream. However, in the 1950's American society experiences a post-war consumer boom of even greater magnitude as people moved to the suburbs, need and desired consumer goods to fill their new suburban homes, and were no longer dependent on public transportation. For the first time, the "average" family acquired a family car, new automated appliances, and their first television. Most families had more leisure time than in the past. Manufacturing of consumer goods was on the rise, as was the door-to-door sale of resulting products, and going into the family business was no longer a common value that people shared. Modernization affected the American worker, the American culture, and the common man's idea of the American Dream.
The present state of the nation's economy and globalization has brought about another "shift" in society's perspective regarding consumerism, materialism, and "job security." "Outsourcing" is seen as a threat to the American worker. Media continues to shape society's attitudes towards the American Dream. Technology has impacted almost every work environment and will, undoubtedly, continue to do so.
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