The author expresses his conclusions starting from a recent survey according to which the recent recession has now transformed the infamous "American Dream" from owning a house and starting a family to getting rid of one's personal debt (Levin). I have two opinions regarding Levin's theory of the “American Dream”. On the one hand, I agree that the “American Dream” has changed from years ago. On the other hand, I'm not sure the author is right that the change is as recent as he thinks. More often than not, being debt free has been the “American Dream” for several generations. As credit was first applied to the American way of life, it brought a sense of relief to those who needed it now and could pay later. Through this system debt was created; it made the banking system stable again and allowed people to buy houses and cars. The ability to use credit gave borrowers a reliable aspect in which they could then provide for themselves and their family. What was then known as the “American Dream” or, as some would see, the ideal