As many may know, I have a foreign name and it’s one of the many things I carry with me from being a daughter of an immigrant family. Back in China, my parents had the goal of experiencing the American Dream for themselves but it was ultimately for us, their children. It was their concept of an irreplaceable birthday present, which was to have the opportunity of “guaranteed” success that China lacked. While mentioning the American Dream, America has a history of showing off its global dominance. America takes pride in what many call a “taking charge” attitude and the idea that American culture will be accepted wherever it went. The virtues of American exceptionalism have also been established firmly into the minds of many Americans with the delusion that one can achieve anything once an opportunity presented itself. The establishment of this American exceptionalism voiced the American burden of cleaning up developing countries in order to make way for American ideals such as democracy and especially capitalism.
