Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

Throughout Radical, Platt draws attention to the disjunction between certain American cultural values and biblical values. Foremost amongst the American values he highlights is the idea of the American Dream, first articulated in the 1930s as an expression of the optimistic American belief that hard work and self-reliance can better one’s circumstances: “We can earn any degree, start any business, climb any ladder, attain any prize, and achieve any goal” (45). The American Dream promises equitable opportunities for advancement, regardless of one’s background, if one is willing to work diligently toward that advancement. While acknowledging the occasional noble sentiment behind this idea, Platt sees it as being at variance with the spirit of Christian discipleship.

There are two fundamental problems with the American Dream from a Christian perspective. First, it encourages self-reliance as a primary virtue, while biblical values encourage relying on God. “The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American Dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability” (46). Platt worries that Americans have been taught so consistently to rely on themselves that they miss the overarching biblical injunctions to trust in God.