Park Avenue Money, Power, And The American Dream

The documentary film â€Å"Park Avenue: Money, Power, and the American Dream† directed by Alex Gibney is about the wealth gap between the rich and the poor in the United States. The documentary compares the access to opportunities of residents of Park Avenue both on the Upper East Side and in the South Bronx. The documentary includes interviews with a series of people: a doorman at 740 Park Avenue, journalist Jane Mayer, Yale University Professor Jacob Hacker, Berkeley Professor Paul Piff, and Republican advisor Bruce Bartlett. The documentary makes a compelling case that inequality exposes democracy and that the victims of inequality include not only those who find themselves in the rapidly expanding underclass, but the American dream itself. Park Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan is the wealthiest neighborhood in the New York City. Across the river, Park Avenue runs through the South Bronx, home to the poorest congressional district in the United States. Gibney stat es that while income disparity has always existed in the U.S., it has accelerated sharply over the years. Seven thousand people live in the South Bronx and 40% of the population live in poverty. Most of them lost their jobs during the recession that was caused by bankers on the other side of the river. David Koch is the richest person who lives in the Park Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Koch donates money to politicians, and Paul Ryan received more money from Koch brothers than any otherShow MoreRelatedPark Avenue : Money, Power And The American Dream819 Words   |  4 PagesPark Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream In my opinion being bias has both good and bad characteristics. I believe the negative part of being bias is that you only think one sided and not open minded. You can t be biased in some situations where you have to see both sides of view. A positive aspect is that you are consistent and not indecisive. If you have a passion or believe in something, then you will stay consistent with your decision. In the video Park Avenue: MoneyRead MoreThe Movie Park Avenue : Money, Power And The American Dream858 Words   |  4 PagesThe Truth behind a Dream It is easy for a person to put away a dream as a mere fantasy that cannot be achieved in life. For this reason, people never take the opportunity to evaluate the true facts behind that dream. In the documentary â€Å"Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream† by Director Alex Gibney, an analysis of the true facts behind the ‘American dream’ is presented (Lee). Similarly, the poem â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† by Wilfred Owen speaks about the true facts of a war that people foolishlyRead MoreThe American Dream Must Have Been A Dream After All Essay1678 Words   |  7 PagesPark Avenue, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in all of New York City, home to the ultra rich, the top tier of the American upper class, the 1% (Park Avenue). Those who reside in Park Avenue not only have vast amounts of wealth, but an immense amount of influence that has turned the tables in their favor. But, if you go a couple of miles No rth of Park Avenue and cross the Harlem river, you arrive at the other side of Park Avenue or otherwise known as theRead MoreThe Nightmare Of The American Dream1538 Words   |  7 PagesThe Nightmare of the American Dream. Introduction The future of work is a topic that many people don’t take the time to actually analyze and question as to what it will be like when the future actually comes. The films Wage Crisis by Michael Maher; Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream: Why Poverty? by Alex Gibney; and The Secret of Oz by Ben Still, are some of the films that highlight the future of work and the how the wages and the economy are really affecting those who are looking forRead MoreWage Crisis By Michael Maher : Money, Power And The American Dream : Why Poverty?1189 Words   |  5 Pagesit will be like when the future actually comes. The films Wage Crisis by Michael Maher; Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream: Why Poverty? by Alex Gibney; and The Secret of Oz by Ben Still, are some of the films that highlight the future or work and the how the wages and economy are really affecting those who are looking for work and trying to work towards a common goal – achieving the American Drea m. Throughout this review, these movies will be compared to the content that have been coveredRead MoreThe Land Of Opportunity By Loewen960 Words   |  4 Pagesthe child of low-income parents, the chances are good that you will receive limited and often careless attention from adults in your high school† (qtd. in Loewen, 203). High school students cannot look to the classroom to prepare them for real world power dynamics. If left to their own devices, adolescents may be influenced by skewed allegories in fictional entertainment media. Parents must use educational resources to prompt critical thinking about socioeconomic inequality in order to prepare America’sRead MoreRaising Taxes By The Middle Class1208 Words   |  5 Pagesstress and worry to be lifted off of the middle class and those in poverty. As a result, the rich will pay more taxes, which will benefit the middle and lower class. The so called â€Å"American Dream† is slowly losing its meaning when in come inequality comes into play because there is no fair game as to how we gain money. Bold plans such as raising the taxes will allow for an increase in revenue and help with employment issues. Furthermore, with the rise in inequality, we are at the tipping point andRead MoreStructural Racism And Racial Equity Analysis Essay1850 Words   |  8 Pagesa better life here in the states, â€Å"The American Dream†. However, is the â€Å"American Dream† really a dream or a nightmare for these immigrants. The whole thought of the American Dream is that everyone has an equal opportunity in America, but this is truly not the case. In the movie, Park Avenue: Money, Power the American Dream, they compare America, but mainly focusing on New York City, to the game of monopoly. The narrator states, â€Å"True to the American Dream, everyone has an equal opportunity, startingRead MoreAbortion Pros And Cons Essay1964 Words   |  8 Pagesremembering they can’t take this ba ck. First, In the film Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream it stated â€Å"Steve Schwartzman has twenty-five fully decorated Christmas trees in his apartment for an annual Christmas party, to have a tree in each room of this apartment† (Alex Gibney). Meaning he spent all of that money just to have a fully decorated house for Christmas, when he could have spent that money on something meaningful such as giving money to charity. Also, proving that many rich people doRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Essay1601 Words   |  7 PagesMovement â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.† This was a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. Even one hundred years after slavery was banned, African Americans were still being treated unfairly. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most famous leaders of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s. The Civil Rights movement was a movement of African Americans who felt that they