In Disney’s “Pinocchio,” Jiminy Cricket famously sings, “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you.” But Jiminy Cricket got it wrong.

We all dream of the future. This is especially true for Americans. Dreaming, one might say, is in our DNA. Indeed, it is arguable that we Americans recognize dreaming as a right. Not only do we have a ...