The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue

Hear the solemn words of Azar Nafisi: “The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream.” In this warning lies a truth as old as ambition itself: that a noble dream, once corrupted by greed and recklessness, becomes its own undoing. What begins as hope for freedom, opportunity, and dignity can, when pursued without restraint, descend into ruin, stripping away the very soul of the dream it sought to achieve.

The American Dream, in its purest form, was born of longing—the longing of exiles for freedom, of immigrants for opportunity, of the poor for a fair chance to rise by their labor. It was not about excess, but about dignity; not about wealth alone, but about the chance to live fully and freely. Yet Nafisi, like the prophets of old, warns that when men chase success “at any cost,” the dream becomes hollow. For what good is a dream if its pursuit leaves the heart barren, the spirit corrupted, and the community broken?

The ancients knew this danger well. Consider the story of King Midas, who wished that all he touched would turn to gold. At first, this seemed the ultimate gift, the fulfillment of his every desire. Yet soon he found that the golden food could not be eaten, the golden drink could not quench his thirst, and even the embrace of his daughter became a lifeless statue. His dream, pursued without wisdom, destroyed his life. So too does the blind pursuit of the American Dream risk turning to dust what was once precious and alive.

History, too, offers its lessons. In the Roaring Twenties, America seemed ablaze with opportunity—stock markets rising, wealth multiplying, dreams blooming. But this pursuit of success “at any cost” led to reckless speculation, dishonesty, and unchecked greed. When the Great Depression struck, millions were cast into despair. The vision of prosperity had been consumed by the fire of excess, and the dream lay shattered beneath the weight of its corruption. Nafisi’s words echo this history: when the pursuit blinds the pursuer, the dream dies.

Yet there is hope, for the warning is not the end but the beginning of wisdom. The true dream is not meant to be destroyed, but to be preserved by balance. When success is sought with integrity, when wealth is tempered by responsibility, when ambition is guided by compassion, then the dream flourishes. The problem is not in dreaming, but in forgetting the higher purpose of the dream: to create a life not only of prosperity, but of meaning, service, and justice.

The lesson is clear: guard your vision. Let not the hunger for “more” consume what is already sacred. Pursue your goals, yes, but ask always: “At what cost?” If the cost is your honesty, your relationships, your humanity—then the success is not true, but false, and the dream is betrayed. True victory is not to reach the top of the mountain alone, but to reach it without destroying the path or those who climb with you.

Practical action lies in this: set your goals, but measure them not only by gain, but by goodness. Strive for achievement, but never sacrifice your soul. Remember that the American Dream is not about possessing the world, but about shaping a life of dignity and freedom—for yourself and for others. Let your success be built upon fairness, honesty, and respect, and you will keep alive the vision that has inspired generations.

So let Nafisi’s warning echo like a bell across the ages: “The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost.” Guard against that shadow. Honor the dream by living it rightly, and pass it on not as a shattered illusion, but as a shining vision for those yet to come. For the dream is not destroyed by hardship—it is destroyed only when we forget its soul. Let us remember, and let us live it true.