Rekindling the American Dream

From Ideas to Innovation:

Welcome to Episode 8 of From Ideas to Innovation.

There is a striking gap in how Americans think about the American Dream. Gallup has found that less than half of Americans believe everyone in the country has the opportunity to achieve it. But flip the question and ask people about their own lives: 67% say they’ve either achieved the American Dream or are actively on their way, and 71% say they have similar or more opportunity than their parents.

Even more surprising, this uniquely American ideal may be the common ground we’ve been searching for in today’s polarized political climate. 64% of Americans believe the Dream can still unite people across different backgrounds and politics.

As we celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, it’s fitting to explore this distinctly American ideal. If it’s still alive and well, as the data suggests, can we elevate that truth to reinvigorate national pride, unity, and drive our nation’s future forward?

Gonzalo Schwarz is the founder and president of the Archbridge Institute and, full disclosure, my boss. But he didn’t set out to start a think tank. He started by examining how to solve poverty.

When Gonzalo came to the United States for a master’s degree in economics at George Mason University, he found more than simply a better education. He was struck by the spirit of this country where entrepreneurship was celebrated, ambition was admired, and the promise of a better life wasn’t just a slogan.

He fell in love with that idea. Then he noticed that most Americans were taking it for granted, or giving up on it entirely.

After working at the Atlas Network, where he helped coach think tanks around the world on strategy and communications, Gonzalo made the leap. In 2016, he founded the Archbridge Institute to research the economics, psychology, and culture of human flourishing and social mobility. The early years were hard: there were payroll crises, half-salaries, and a stretch where he drove for Uber to make ends meet.

Still, he kept going. And as he’d be the first to tell you, that’s the whole point.

This year, Archbridge celebrates its tenth anniversary. Gonzalo joins the podcast to reflect on what makes America unique, share insights from our recent American Dream Snapshot survey, and weigh in on what he still sees as unfinished business for the American Dream as an idea.

Watch the full episode.

Read highlights from the interview.