The following paper with analyze the values of American society and prove there are more disadvantages than advantages to a high degree of agreement on these values. A large amount of agreement on most of the values considered “American” could be detrimental to the country and as an international power. Most American values revolve around accomplishment and fulfilling a goal. Materialism, efficiency, demanding work, and competition are all values considered the focus of most Americans. Materialism is the end goal; by working efficiently and beating the competition, one can acquire all the possessions they want. In lesser amounts, these values can push a nation forward economically. however, at the scale America utilizes these values, resources are wasted, foreign relations are strained, and many within the country are left struggling. Capitalism is moral and practical as it leaves the individual free to think rationally and act productively to sustain one’s life and experience happiness on earth. In macroeconomic terms, capitalism is the best system available and the system America has always used. When looking at individual communities and families struggling to simply make ends meet, it is easy to question why the government will not set in and help its own people. When America was smaller and agriculturally focused, capitalism worked for …show more content…
In a utopian society, everyone agrees on the values they wish to uphold, but as communism, fascism, and Marxism have taught the world, utopia is unrealistic. In George Orwell’s novel, 1984, the nation of Oceania holds the same values and expectations for every citizen. Any widespread agreement on what values a nation should uphold lead to an extremely restricted range of thought and ideas for the people of that nation. If America were to hold its values as universal, the country would lose the very thing that makes it
The western concept of utopias stem in the age-old world, where fables of a carnal arcadia lost to history, linked to the human ambition to build an ideal community, abetted in forming the utopian notion (“Utopias in America”). Ideal communities have varied considerably in philosophy and design, and maybe not all have been persistently utopian in the draconian understanding of hoping to achieve a system for a "perfect" community. Utopian "communitarianism" seems to have deeper roots set in the United States than in Western Europe, more specifically in actually putting philosophy into practice. This composite mental image may appear misplaced in a nation with an intense admiration towards individuality, but the perseverance amongst these societies brings to light quite a bit about the incredibly diverse American culture, notably how the sexes have thought of cultural advancement and how
America by far is the most diverse country on the face of the earth. America today is known for freedom, equality, democracy, and a defender against tyranny. The foundation of American values lay in a belief of independence, nationalism, capitalism, and religion. However, many conflicts have arisen over these values in the past. Capitalism and other characteristics have made America great, but they have brought about their own set of inequalities. Those inequalities have deep roots in race, culture, gender, and wealth. In the 1800s two of the biggest conflict lies with the issue of slavery and women’s rights.
Capitalism and its values revolve around material possessions and their acquisition. In this society, the poor man strives to be rich, and a powerless man to gain power. Many of these people however don't have access to these privileges, and so to be one of the few taking the limited seats of wealth and power they compete, most often times against each other. Such environments are not only often times promote conflict but confrontation as well, and many times the winners of these altercations are relishing in "The American Dream" While capitalism promotes the belief that this dream is achievable, it is more often than not, a literal dream, and leaves its pursuers poor, and weak. This keeps the working class powerless, and
American beliefs and opinions give a great understanding of what an American values. The want and need for freedom is described in many different ways based on origin or social beliefs. The main backbone of America today is freedom. Through the building of an American empire everyone can’t come to an understanding of what it is to be equally free. By comparing and contrasting the perspectives of Patrick Henry’s speech to the “Virginia Convention,” to take up arms and fight for our freedom. Frederick Douglass’ “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” who feels it’s time to end slavery. It is clear that the struggles of the American story are still prevalent and America has not yet found a way for freedom for all.
Another ideal America has lived up to is Opportunity. In America, everyone has the same opportunities as others. Obviously, not people who aren’t born in the United States, but yet they’re not treated any different. Illegal immigrants have the same opportunities as citizen, the only difference is you qualify for better and more things being a US Citizen. Although many feel like America does not give the same opportunities to people because there skin color or their race, they do. I know about black men and women who become much more than a person of no color. Everybody has the same opportunity, regardless of skin color or race.
The values America was founded on such as freedom of religion and speech now seem to be lost in a modern day society where everyone is judged for everything they appear to be. In contrast to other countries we do have it quite well, but if we want to ever achieve freedom we have a lot of work to do. I think America will never become a mindless nirvana where everyone agrees with each other (as long as there’s two people, there will be an argument) but I do believe that we can do a whole lot better than what we have
Wealth. Freedom. Equality. The pursuit of happiness and opportunity. From John Winthrop’s “The City Upon A Hill” to Thomas Jefferson’s “The Declaration of Independence”, the term America has been universally defined by these ideals. As a citizen living within this country, I have grown up being taught that upholding these values defines being an American. While this was a generic and naive response to what it means to be American, I simply accepted this because it was what others told me. Looking back, I realize that I blindly accepted this definition because of a false and hopeful view of humanity in general. I did not see the world for what it is, rather, I saw it as filled with blissfully optimistic hope, I idealized the world, dreaming that America and, by extension, Americans were shining beacons of freedom, equality, and opportunity in the world, cultivating my previous
R.E.M. ....Religious, educational and moral values. These are the three values that affect society today the most, I think. Society may look down on people if they do not live by what society thinks is correct. For example if a persons values are corrupt then society will look down on that person, but if a person has real high morals then society will think that they are fake of just a “goodie”. In society today you will be looked down anyway your moral beliefs are.
In America, most of our parents at a very early age that we should be grateful for what we have. Even with these teachings Americans are finding it hard to do just that. American Capitalism is built off of the concept that anybody can buy property, open a practice/start a business, and profit off of it. One thing that both “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck teach us is that the system of American capitalism isn’t perfect. Both of these books show both sides of capitalism, those who make it and those who don’t. In both books the rich are ignoring the bad things they inflict on the poor because it makes them richer and more powerful. As Rick Danko said, “As time goes on we get closer to that
The idealization of a pure culture creates a strong wave of chauvinism. America became the epicenter for the idealized culture to form, but idealization leaves out the human aspect surrounding it. Mukherjee added to this idealization, dreaming, “’America’ in contrast, exists as a myth of democracy and equal opportunity to live by, or as an ideal goal to reach” (Mukherjee 1997, para.1). Mukherjee’s dream is beautiful and what many people desire out of America, however America is not an ideal; it
According to Western Culture Global the American economic system is “Characterized by saving and capital accumulation, exchange, profit motive, freedoms of economic competition and economic inequality, economic progress and material self-interests of all the individuals who participate in it” (Western Culture Global). These characteristics of capitalism are vital for a successful development and maintenance of businesses in the Western Hemisphere. With that being said, capitalism encourages a higher standard of living of the overall quality of life in the US, through successful accomplishments of many businesses, corporations, and banks that are the heartbeat of the American capitalism (Ellis). In addition, there are other contributions made to improve the welfare and quality of life in society and that is in the form of charities, grants, scholarships, and other indirect ways by wealthy business owners, banks, and corporations which in turn boosted the development of society and advancing the general population of the US.
Milton Friedman analyzes whether changes that have occurred in American both in economic and social sectors are because of the governmental influences. In his lecture, he points out that the high ethical practices in the country are some of the strengths that have made America the land of opportunity or substantially the land of freedom and independence. In his discussion, he points out multiple ethical issues that exist in America that should not be overlooked if the country is to remain a bureaucratic and prospective land has it has always been. The high level of equality among races, gender and beliefs are one of the ethical issues raised. Friedman states that for a long time, America has been a land that has embraced free will and cooperation
As citizens of the United States, we are members of the leading capitalist economy in the world. Our production and distribution is mostly done privately and we operate in a “profit” or “market” system. The capitalist system has been a target for criticism throughout the last three hundred years and is being discussed now more than ever due to the recent recession and financial crisis (Shaw and Barry n.d., 1). Its effects,
American Capitalism Capitalism - "An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state." America was an ideal breeding ground for capitalism, a relatively new country, in need of young entrepreneurs to kick start it's already buoyant economy. The country was an ideal place to get rich quick, an idea that inspired the immigrants that poured into it each year. In America it seemed you could turn your rags to riches in no time at all.
Concept of capitalism can be difficult to understand. It is commonly identified by economist and political philosophers as a system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated in the free market in exchange for a profit (Galbraith, 1952). The economical/social system determines the structure of production, the allocation of inputs and outputs, and consumption of goods. Capitalism remains popular in America because it values freedom, much like the people in our country. This is true because it allows individuals to set their own plans and pursue their own goals; in addition, one can decide what career they would enjoy most, thus creating an incentive and reward for achieving ones ambitions. In a free market, everyone