Response Paper 7

The Values American Live By

The reading about American values help us to understand why people behave the way they do. Every culture has its own value system, and behaves according to it. Among the 13 America values we can find:
• Personal control over the environment. It refers to the fact that American believe that man can or should be able to control nature, rather than the other way around. Laziness is not allowed.

• Change seen as natural and positive. Chance is seen as an opportunity to growth

• Time and its control. Americans are well known for being always on time. For then, time is priceless, so you can´t waste it.

• Equality/Fairness. Americans believe that everyone is in the same position, so all of them have the same opportunities.

• Individualism/Independence. This value is one of the most important because each person is seen as unique, so each of them has to shine by itself.

• Self-help/Initiative. Americans believe that they have to do everything by their own.

• Competition. Americans have the idea that competition brings the best in any person; therefore, they put themselves a lot of challenges.

• Future Orientation. Future is always more important than the past and even the present. They work to have a greater happiness in the future.

• Work Orientation. Working hard is seen as the only way to succeed.

• Informality. For Americans everything is easier and more realistic if it is informal; greetings and dressing are examples of it.

• Directness. Americans prefer to be honest and go straight to the point.

• Efficiency. Their practicality is what makes them more efficient.

• Materialism. For American people having all that they need is mandatory. They have to own many objects.