I think American values are an evolving thing across generations. The baby boomers grew up in a time where getting a home and all its effects were the thing to do because people were moving to a time of common homeownership. The boomlets grew up in a world where everybody already has homes, and it's hard (I think) to actualize yourself by doing exactly what your parents did. I think we're already experiencing somewhat of a shift to more abstract forms of actualization and values in younger generations. While I'm not trying to plug a politician here, I think the way President Obama's election campaign resonated with so many young people is some evidence to this effect. Some of these values may be what you consider not mainstream now, but give 20-30 years, they might be more prevalent again.