Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., quoted from an interview with Mark Jacobson:

There is an ancient struggle between two separate philosophies, warring for control of the American soul. The first was set forth by John Winthrop in 1630, when he made the most important speech in American history, ‘A Model of Christian Charity,’ on the deck of the sloop Arbella, as the Puritans approached the New World. He said this land is being given to us by God not to satisfy carnal opportunities, or expand self-interest, but rather to create a shining city on a hill. This is the American ideal, working together, maintaining a spiritual mission, and creating communities for the future.

The competing vision of America comes from the conquistador side of the national character and took hold with the gold rush of 1849. That’s when people began to regard the land as the source of private wealth, a place where you can get rich quick—the sort of game where whomever dies with the biggest pile wins.

What is the American Dream? We will hear the American Dream extolled and re-promised many times over during this presidential campaign season. So what is it?

• Is the American Dream an equal opportunity for every one of us for unlimited personal advancement?
• Or is the American Dream a unique opportunity for all of us to make something together for the benefit of the rest of humanity?

And will the candidates, any candidate, be able to discern — and articulate — the difference?