Is there a future to the American dream?

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As we roll into the 4th of July a.k.a Independence Day, our minds are often on hot dogs and Fireworks. But what does America look like to us today and are we still capable of being dreamers?

 

The American Dream is a national concept of the US, the set of ideals (Democracy, Rights, Liberty, Opportunity, and Equality) which includes the opportunity for freedom, prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers.

The original definition of the American Dream as defined by James Truslow Adams in 1931 was: “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. ” The American Dream is rooted in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims that “all men are created equal” with the right to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

 So the question is then do we still believe this? Do we still believe in this dream?

Brian David Johnson is a Professor of Practice in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University and is leading a team of faculty and students conducting research on the future of the American Dream. He invites you to participate in a study by responding to the question, What is the future of the American Dream? Your response to this question may be used in reports, presentations, or publications but your name will not be used. There are no foreseeable risks to your participation. They will not collect personal information on you and they will keep your response anonymous.

What kind of future do you want? What kind of future do you want to avoid? Join the conversation.

 

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Disclosure: Laboratory5 Inc. is a contractor of Arizona State University and of the School for the Future of Innovation in Society.

Game of Clones

I had the privilege of working with Athena Aktipis to design a science communication tool as a way to explain to the public how cancer cheats. It’s called Game of Clones and while cancer is not fun nor funny I believe sharing information on why it is so hard to cure cancer inspires others to join this fight. Or as Athena explains it in her research on cancer shows us it is no longer about fighting cancer – it’s about learning to collaborate with cancer so we can use cancer clones as cooperative team players. If cancer cheats by changing the way business is done, by acting differently in every body it takes up residence in then we have to look at what can we learn from that? Here is a video on how the public game worked, followed by pictures at the public event.

Game of Clones Explanation from Biodesign Institute at ASU on Vimeo.

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Bio Cancer Tent

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If a ten year old had fun at this event and learned about how cancer cheats, they are better equipped. So that at a family event when Great Aunt Marge raises her fists and yells out “why can’t they cure cancer already?” The ten year old can explain it’s because cancer cheat. This is how we win our future . . . .

Is Love A Battlefield?

Talk about the tough love, here is an insightful video that breaks down the fairness in love and war and brings up that great question “Is all fair in love and war?” Were not so sure, tell us what you think about it.

At Laboratory5 Inc. We bring together all elements of STEAM and tie them up into a package to promote the work each individual is doing in their fields to celebrate this work. We produce experiences so that those unfamiliar with the glorious, quirky, nerdy, geeky qualities of all areas of STEAM can be explored as an adventure to explain these fields.

Laboratory5 Inc. is a small business based in Tempe, Arizona

Visit our website: Laboratory5       Follow us on Twitter: @lab5     Become a fan on Facebook: Laboratory5
Contact Us at anytime – we’d love to hear from you