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Survey Confirms that Americans
Overworked, Overspent and Rethinking the
American Dream
Poll shows that a whopping 48% of
Americans have actually
opted to make less money in order to get
more time and a
balanced lifestyle.
TAKOMA PARK, Md., Sept. 1, 2004 -- It's
Labor Day weekend
and many Americans need a break. According
to a recent
national poll released by the Center for a
New American
Dream, Americans are overworked, overspent
and rethinking
the American dream. At a time when Americans
are divided
politically, they seem to agree on one
thing: we aren't
focused on what really matters. More than
eight out of ten
Americans believe that society's priorities
are "out of
whack" and 93% agree that Americans are
too focused on
working and making money and not enough on
family and
community. Almost as many (more than 8 in
10) say they
would be more satisfied with life if they
just had less
stress.
A surprising number are actively taking
steps to work less,
even if it means reducing their consumption.
One critical
finding of the survey shows that many
Americans have
voluntarily made changes in their lives in
the past five
years that resulted in making less money.
The primary
reasons given for voluntarily reducing work
and income are a
desire for a less stressful and more
balanced life and a
desire for more time. This is steep increase
in the number
of self-proclaimed "down-shifters"
compared to earlier
polls.
"Americans are getting worn out by
the race for more. This
Labor Day, they are more interested in being
with loved ones
rather than in hitting the mall," says
Betsy Taylor,
President of the Center for a New American
Dream.
The national survey reflects concerns
over two related
trends in American society: excessive
consumerism coupled
with economic insecurity. Eighty-eight
percent believe that
American society is too materialistic with
four of five
Americans saying that society is too focused
on shopping and
spending. At the same time, nearly
two-thirds (64%) report
that the American dream is harder to achieve
than it was
even ten years ago and less than half of all
Americans
believe they will achieve the American dream
themselves.
When asked why, three in four Americans
cited debt while six
out of ten said it's hard to make ends meet.
"Americans are mis-educated to be
consumers and to value
wealth more than time. In a precarious
economy, many are
fearful of falling into poverty. We're a
hyped up, stressed,
tired and addiction-prone people. The two
most radical
things we can do in America are slow down
and talk to
people," says Mary Pipher, noted author
and family therapist.
The poll suggests that politicians might
do well to address
American concerns about over-work,
overspending, and rising
levels of personal debt. More than half of
Americans (53%)
say they would be willing to give up one
day's pay per week
in exchange for one day off per week to
spend with family
and friends and 83% agree that they would
like more of what
really matters in life.
* This is a preview of a national public
opinion survey
commissioned by the Center for a New
American Dream and
conducted from August 4 - 9, 2004. The
results are from a
census-balanced and nationally
representative poll of 1,269
American adults ages 18 years of age and
older. Widmeyer
Communications of Washington, D.C. conducted
the survey for
the Center for a New American Dream. The
margin of error
for the study is +/- 3.0%. The Center for A
New American
Dream is a national non-profit organization
that helps
Americans consume wisely.
To schedule an interview with Betsy
Taylor, please contact,
Sarah Roberts at 301-891-3683. Full poll
results available
at http://www.newdream.org.