Week 11 Blog Post (for Week 12)

http://www.examiner.com/article/actor-jim-carrey-speaks-out-about-his-spiritual-enlightenment-video

I chose this video and article to represent the idea that today, spiritual fulfillment is as important as money (if not more so) in the new American Dream.

The Great Gatsby is essentially, a story about the American Dream failing because it is morally bankrupt. People like Jim Carey have risen for rags to riches and are living the american dream, but it seems almost required nowadays for there to be a spiritual, moral element to their success.

This article was written in 2010, riding the Occupy wave and the economic crash - this is reminiscent of the Great Depression that occurred right after the Great Gatsby. The feeling that the New money in America (stock brokers/bankers) are immoral are recurring themes.

In the book, an actress is featured at the new money party at Gatsby's, and I think that, although they may not be considered to be less moral compared to the Old money in America these days, the brand of the actor is considered to be important. This is why actors need to be squeaky clean, and have to push their moral, spiritual side. Jim Carrey therefore, is one of many actors who publicly come out in favour of self-help gurus.

Self-help books and seminars are so prevalent that it is clear that people still yearn for the American Dream.