Unique features and values ​​of American culture [Part 2]

The book "Future Shock" by author Alvin Toffler.

Optimistic: Optimism governs the vision of the future, tomorrow can only be better than today, if we know how to seize the opportunity. Personal progress leads to social progress. Strong economic growth, high standards of living, greater opportunities for success elsewhere, relative social equality all enhance optimism. However, with some Americans, I see that they are quite pessimistic about unemployment, economic difficulties, foreign debts... This situation is temporary or has a profound impact on people's basic optimism. America?

Democracy: For Americans, democracy is not simply a principle that the minority obeys the majority, when this majority expresses its will through representation or even directly through referendum. To avoid abuse of the majority rule, Americans seek to affirm by supreme law a number of basic principles, and on the other hand, provide a number of institutional mechanisms to monitor, regulate, and use the law. powers (legislative, executive, judicial) to check each other at all levels.

Independent mind: The cowboy (cow boy = cowboy), although increasingly rare in America, can characterize the American ideal in many ways: confident, adventurous, tough, manly, facing all dangers alone. . The personal decision is the main one. Children are trained to do everything themselves. At the age of 18, young people can live separately, separated from their families. Young people must try to find housing on their own, although their parents can help... The concept of "privacy" of the individual must be highly respected. From a young age, children are instilled with the awareness that each person's objects, places, and thoughts are separate and cannot be violated by anyone, including their parents.

Individualism and pluralism: Individuals have priority. That is not selfish, Americans believe that the individual has a successful mission to push society up. Literary masterpieces that promote individual rebellion include: Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1835-1910); Moby – Dick or The Whale by Herman Melville (1819 – 1891) … In America, individualism emphasizes the meaning: “The assertion of human rights”. “The defense of small cultural entities against large cultural entities.” It comes from the founding fathers who left their homeland to avoid persecution (after 1620).

Individualism comes with pluralism: all ideas and tendencies can be expressed and implemented; ensure opportunities for individual citizens, groups or localities. All segments of the people, religions, localities... must be respected.

Authority: America was born after escaping from the British king. That historical situation left behind a pattern of thinking. Authority is respected on the basis of actual ability, not on title or age. Old people are often considered backward. In a society that changes too quickly, experience is not as valuable as in countries with stable traditional civilizations.

Puritan Influence: Although society had shifted from rural to urban, many of the American traditions of Puritan European immigrants (17th century) remained influential: self-confidence, industriousness, simple living, concern for wages. personal mindset, considering starting a business and getting rich as being in accordance with God's will (businessmen are highly respected; old people still work to conform to Puritan ethics and to earn more money, not to stop).

Work is the most highly valued virtue. Americans work like crazy. People judge people according to the amount of wealth they acquire through labor. This materialism is embedded in American culture.

Time is money: That's a typical American saying. Automobile king Henry Ford is considered a hero for inventing a time-saving car assembly line. Supermarkets are very typical for Americans because they save both money and time. Fast food only takes a minute to prepare; Mc restaurants. Donald's is very true to the American spirit. The daily program is arranged like a machine. Efficiency is of the highest standard. Americans don't even have time to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

An unarranged society: In America, people are always looking for ways to get ahead; less dependent on social groups, including family. People are always dissatisfied with their position. An East German citizen is very satisfied when he comes to do business in America, because in America you don't have to be a doctor to be respected, people don't need to know who your father is, as long as you have money you can buy a Mercedes car. Buy a villa, move up class easily. Foreigners criticize Americans for being too materialistic, they do not see the symbolic value of money for personal success.

Fame: Although very personal, Americans highly value public opinion about them. Being liked by the public and friends is a sign of success. You have to spend a lot of time to have many people like you and support you.

Full of contradictions: Listing the characteristics of American culture, we see many contradictions. There is freedom of press ideology, but readers are still not well informed. Rich people still sleep on the streets. Intimate, but neighbors don't talk to each other. The land is the richest in the world but the food is not delicious. Although there are many machines and tools, life is not polite. Equality sometimes leads to mediocrity. Television has low mass content.