Watch the new episode of "The Nature of Values" podcast on the origins and end of the "American dream" era

Freedom, the cult of personal success, the Protestant ethic or belief in the country's special mission in human history? What makes up the "American dream", and why has its meaning changed along with America itself? The new episode of "The Nature of Values" podcast explores these questions.

The host, Alexei Slushchev, and the political scientist Malek Dudakov traced how America's system of values took shape and evolved over the centuries. The conversation begins with the first Puritans, who dreamed of building a "city upon a hill", and continues with a discussion of the ideal of the self-made individual. Together with the experts, viewers follow a path from the American dream and the cult of individualism to the Great Depression, post-war conservatism and the cultural changes of the second half of the 20th century.

A separate strand of the discussion examines how America evolved from a country with a strong sense of its historical mission into a society in which the very meaning of that mission became a matter of debate.

"The Nature of Values" is a series of podcast interviews about how human and cultural values form and change, and why it is important to protect them. The project combines expert conversation with first-person stand-up storytelling: the host asks uncomfortable and naive questions, inviting viewers to join the search for truth. The podcast aims to encourage viewers to think critically for themselves, rather than provide ready-made interpretations of historical events, personalities and phenomena. The project is supported by the National Centre RUSSIA and the Internet Development Institute (IRI).

The new episode of "The Nature of Values" podcast is available on the National Centre RUSSIA's official VK page.