Values in american culture

PERSONAL CONTROL OVER THE ENVIRONMENT.
People can/should control nature, their own environment and destiny. The future
is not left to fate.
Result: An energetic, goal-oriented society.

CHANGE / MOBILITY.
Change is seen as positive and good. This means progress, improvement and
growth.
Result: An established transient society geographically, economically and socially.

TIME AND ITS IMPORTANCE.
Time is valuable - achievement of goals depends on the productive use of time.
Result: An efficient and progressive society often at the expense of interpersonal relationships.

EQUALITY / EGALITARIANISM.
People have equal opportunities; people are important as individuals, for who
they are, not from which family they come.
Result: A society where little deference is shown or status is acknowledged.

INDIVIDUALISM, INDEPENDENCE AND PRIVACY.
People are seen as separate individuals (not group members) with individual needs.
People need time to be alone and to be themselves.
Result: Americans may be seen as self-centered and sometimes isolated and lonely.

COMPETITION AND FREE ENTERPRISE.
Americans believe competition brings out the best in people and free enterprise
leads to progress and produces success
Result: Competition is emphasized over cooperation.

FUTURE ORIENTATION / OPTIMISM.
Americans believe that, regardless of past or present, the future will be better and
happier.
Result: Americans place less value on past events and constantly look ahead to tomorrow.

ACTION AND WORK ORIENTATION.
Americans believe that work is morally right; that it is immoral to waste time.
Result: There is more emphasis on "doing" rather than "being". This is a
no-nonsense attitude toward life.

INFORMALITY.
Americans believe that formality is "un-American" and a show of arrogance and
superiority.
Result: A casual, egalitarian attitude between people is more accepted.

DIRECTNESS / OPENNESS / HONESTY.
One can only trust people who "look you in the eye" and "tell it like it is". Truth is a
function of reality not of circumstance.
Result: People tend to tell the "truth" and not worry about saving the other
person's "face" or "honor".

PRACTICALITY / EFFICIENCY.
Practicality is usually the most important consideration when decisions are to be
made.
Result: Americans place less emphasis on the subjective, aesthetic, emotional or
consensual decisions.

MATERIALISM / ACQUISITIVENESS.
Material goods are seen as the just rewards of hard-work, the evidence of "God's favor."
Result: Americans are seen as caring more for things than people or relationships.