...Miteechur English Comp II February 10, 2015 American Family Values In the article, “Family Values,” Richard Rodriguez states his view on the positive affect of homosexuality on family values in America. He questions the values that the media and politicians claim Americans hold and intrigues the reader to decide whether the United States values the family at all. With the traditional family dynamic changing every day, so does the perspective of right and wrong. The media, however, is quick to defend the sanctity of the stereotypical family and chastises anything that contradicts that ideal. The things one values changes with age and are shaped through personal experience and relationships made throughout life. This individual moral development should be promoted instead of criticized. This country was founded on the idea of individual rights. However, America is always forcing it’s ideals on others. The United States would be a more unified and progressive place if its citizens embraced the idea of tolerance and valued the diversity that make the people of this country great instead of demonizing what doesn’t fit the stereotypical image of the American family. The United States is seen as the “Land of Opportunity.” People have come from all over the world to give their family a chance at the American Dream. This nation was created by people who believed in the idea of a better life for their children. But what is the American Dream and why was this ideal appealing? In traditional...
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...The Differences of Family Values in Chinese and American Cultures ABSTRACT This paper aims to make a contrastive study on family values in Chinese and American cultures from the three parts: the attitude to the family members and their relationships, marriage and family education. As the pace of the global economy integration accelerates, cross-cultural communication between China and America is becoming more and more frequent and important，and the research can undoubtedly help Chinese people and American people to further understand with each other and their family values and to avoid the unnecessary conflict caused by the misunderstanding and mistakes in cross-cultural communication. Key words: the differences of family values, filial piety, marriage, family education Table of Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Literature Review 2 3 The Definitions of Family, Values and Family Values 3 3.1 The Definition of Family 3 3.2 The Definition of Values 3 3.2.1 The Decisive Values in Chinese Culture: Collectivism 3 3.2.2 The Decisive Values in American Culture: Individualism 4 3.3 The Definition of Family Values 4 3.4 The Meaning of Family to Chinese and Americans 5 4 Differences Between Chinese and Americans Family Values 5 4.1 The Attitude to the Family Members and Their Relationships 6 4.1.1 The Attitude to the Family Members and...
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...The Values Americans Live by: A Summary University of San Diego MSGL 510: Cohort 54 The Values Americans Live by: A summary It doesn’t matter if you are a foreigner coming to America to live or an American moving abroad, culture shock is an important issue. To be successful in another culture, one has to understand their values. In looking at the United States, Kohls (1988) determined that there are 13 values that Americans live by and he discussed those in an article. Commentary on the List of Basic American Values 1. Personal Control over the Environment/Responsibility Americans believe they have control over nature and that this is part of their natural destiny and that there are few things man cannot achieve. Americans believe that everyone should look out for their own self-interests and not depend on others (Kohls, 1988). 2. Change Seen as Natural and Positive Kohls (1988) talks about the fact that many cultures view change as not always something positive. These cultures value stability, continuity, tradition, and a rich and ancient heritage (Kohls, 1988). 3. Time and Its Control Time is critically important to Americans. Time is the given and people are the variable. To people from other countries Americans may be a little obsessed about being on time, scheduling their time, and making the best use of their time (Kohls, 1988). 4. Equality/Fairness The general premise is that people should be...
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...The Values Americans Live By Compiled byVladimir Pavlov Adapted from Robert Kohl’s article, The Values Americans Live By (April 1984) Most Americans would have a difficult time telling international visitors, specifically, which values they live by. They probably have never given the matter any thought. Even if Americans had considered this question, they would probably decide not to answer in terms of a definitive list of values. The reason for this decision itself is one American value— that every individual is so unique that the same list of values could never be applied to all, or even most, of their fellow citizens. xxx Americans may think of themselves as being more varied and unpredictable than they really are. Americans think they have only been slightly influenced by family, church or schools. In the end, each believes, "I personally chose which values I want to live my own life by." xxx Despite this self-evaluation, an anthropologist from another country could observe Americans and produce a list of common values which would fit most Americans. The list of typically American values would stand in sharp contrast to the values commonly held by people in some other cultures.. xxx The different behaviors of a people or a culture make sense only when seen through the basic beliefs, assumptions and values of that particular group. When an international visitor encounters an action, or hears a statement in the United States which surprises him or her, he or she should...
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...definitions of American is “of or relating to the United States or its possessions or original territory or the people that live there”. And one of the meanings for value is defined as “relative worth, utility, or importance”. What is an American? Is a letter by Hector St. John Crevecoeur who was a farmer. Part of his letter discusses “Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world” (Crevecoeur, 1782). From this reading my understanding is that men have emigrated and gathered together to unify themselves for a better life. Working hard, bringing arts, church and fellowship to all and also instill change from where they have come from. They are European or of European descent and all pitch in to help to till the soil and work on the land to make something of it, more than what they had before coming here. They are unified to create and extend their means for enhancement. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a humanitarian, a clergyman and a civil rights activist. He believed in freedom, equality for all and a non-violent approach. It has been 50 years since his “I have a dream speech” wherein he says “even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. He goes on to say, “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to...
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...The American culture is a diverse mix of customs and traditions from nearly every region of the world. The United States can be described as a “melting pot” in which different cultures have contributed their own distinct “flavors” to American culture (Zimmerman K, 2015). Our culture is created by the language we speak, food we eat and the way we interact with people. It has changed and evolved over time as we adapt to all the different cultures that have joined us in our land of the free. Within our culture we also have values. These values are what defines us as Americans and what makes us each unique individuals. As foreigners and tourists visit the United States they see all these values first hand, just like we do when we visit other regions around the world. The values that Americans hold most above all others are equality, individuality and the way we spend our time. Equality is the idea that everyone is created equal and has the same rights, including men and woman of all ethnic cultural groups living in the United States. Equality is, for Americans, one of the most important values. This concept is so important that we have given it a religious basis. All people have been "created equal." Most Americans believe that God views all humans alike without regard to intelligence, physical condition or economic status. In secular terms this belief is translated into the assertion that all people have an equal opportunity to succeed in life ( Americans have different opinions...
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...American Airlines 1992 Value Pricing Strategy Evaluate American’s 1992 announcement of a new rate structure: a. What changes did American make? To replace the old domestic air-fare system with 16 different prices, discounts, and restrictions that are constantly changing, American made four key changes to its fares. 1. Instead of 16 different prices, American simplified its pricing structure to include only 4 kinds of fares: a first-class fare, a coach fare that can be bought anytime before flight time (full-fare), 21-day advance-purchase fare, and 7-day advance-purchase fare. The new fare structure was expected to reduce administrative labor costs related to managing different fares by $25 million annually. The change was also expected to reduce coach fares by 38% on average and first-class fares by 20% to 50%, while the cuts in discount rates were smaller. American believed that the fare cuts will produce an increase in travel (number of air tickets sold) which would not only cover but also exceed the reductions in prices per ticket. American anticipated the new system will eventually increase annual revenue by as much as $350 million. 2. Unlike the old fare system which did not allow refunds or reschedule, passengers who buy advance-purchase tickets under the new system will have the option to reschedule their flights if their travel plans change by paying a $25 processing fee. First-class and coach tickets are refund-able, which stays the same from the old system...
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...Government officials that are elected are put in office to support these civic values based on society’s wishes. Most of the time civic values are individually and community based justice or general considerations for other people. America’s values act as a reinforcement of American civic values. There are many things that undermine American civic values. Many large corporations and very wealthy people are often criticized into believing that they influence the government and the decision making process. This is one assumption because their large financial contributions help to elect candidates that support their interest. Also the media is also something in today’s society that undermines American civic values. The media focuses on negative issues such as unemployment and crime which intensifies already apparent problems. These issues broadcast negativity into American culture and as it spreads so does the lack of American civic values. Civic values help make America’s political and civil culture better because it is a guideline for Americans to follow. It allows each person or group of people to have their own decision rather its individual or government mandated. These values are considerate of its members and help keep communities peaceful. There are penalties for failing to adhere to civic values. Some examples are losing jobs, fines, or prison. There are many instances when not adhering to civic values is the issue and the people are simply dealing with regret, guilt, a disappointed...
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...American Civic Values Terriana Clark-Ishola POS/110 November 26, 2011 D. Ryan Sagers American Civic Values America revolves around morals, individual freedom, and liberties. Today society reinforces America civic values by allowing every individual to have the freedom of choice, to be left alone and to live freely. The government does not have the right to interfere if a community wants to help someone who is in need. However, the government officials are elected in office to help support these civic values because civic values are individually and community based to show generosity to other people. There are several things that undermine American civic values. The media plays a big part on undermine America values because they focus on the negativity that goes on this country. Also today’s global redistribution of jobs and investments has devastated American as a whole with the unemployment rate being high as ever and the American people are not investing like they were several years ago. With these types of situations it makes our communities grow further apart. Civic values can have certain guidelines for people to follow. These guidelines can come from each individual, different group of people, and from the government. These values are created to keep the communities safe, peaceful, and together. If someone breaks the law there can be criminal charges enforced, but if someone is failing to adhere by civic values there would not be any penalties...
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...American Culture Values Keith Byrd University of Phoenix Ann Fongheiser 1-25-10 American Culture Values American Culture is a combination of history, traditions, holidays, customs, religious beliefs and values. It also encompasses spirits, arts - to include visual, musical, and dance, cinema, literature and food. American Culture has been heavily influenced by the Europeans, British, and other Eastern World Civilizations. Our National holidays, sporting events, military and even our government all have been influenced by Eastern World Civilization. Our architectural designs, cars, fashion, and firearms all have Eastern influences. Calendars are a major influence on holidays and US history and religious traditions. National patriarchs, US history and Religious traditions are all a part of the reason that the United States observes holidays and traditions. National holidays like Washington’s Birthday, Independence Day and Christmas are just a few of the traditions and holidays that are influenced by Religion, National patriarchs and US history. In 1879, Washington's Birthday was declared a National holiday by an act of Congress. In 1968, the Uniform Holiday Act started to commemorate Washington's birthday from February 22 to the third Monday in February, which is now know in the American Culture as "President's Day." Independence Day, also known as the fourth of July, is the day that we celebrate in commemoration of the...
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...The Values Americans Live By by L. Robert Kohls Most Americans would have a difficult time telling you, specifically, what the values are that Americans live by. They have never given the matter much thought. xxx Even if Americans had considered this question, they would probably, in the end, decide not to answer in terms of a definitive list of values. The reason for this decision is itself one very American value—their belief that every individual is so unique that the same list of values could never be applied to all, or even most, of their fellow citizens. Although Americans may think of themselves as being more varied and unpredictable than they actually are, it is significant that they think they are. Americans tend to think they have been only slightly influenced by family, church or schools. In the end, each believes, "I personally chose which values I want to live my own life by." Despite this self-evaluation, a foreign anthropologist could observe Americans and produce a list of common values that would fit most Americans. The list of typically American values would stand in sharp contrast to the values commonly held by the people of many other countries. We, the staff of the Washington International Center, have been introducing thousands of international visitors to life in the United States for more than a third of a century. This has caused us to try to look at Americans through the eyes of our visitors. We feel confident that the values listed here describe...
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...Diminishing Morals Over the course of a decade, America has been overcome with changes. Changes that have impacted American society, economy, and culture.Traditional values are currently being replaced by modern day modifications revolving around the changing outlooks in American households. Values dating back to times of segregation have begun to change for the better, while values regarding marriage and family relationships have taken a turn for the worse. Respecting authority, having faith in God, and maintaining one marriage for life are no longer an importance to American citizens. This change in ethics across the nation cannot be summed up to one cause, rather as an effect of multiple causes that have caused society to transform. However, several causes stand out above all others as the most probable. Changing social behaviors, divorce rates, and technology have altered the average American’s values and outlook on the world. In the late 1950’s, CBS aired a sitcom called “Leave it to Beaver”. The show portrayed a typical American family: a married couple and their two biological children. This portrayal was pegged as the “nuclear family” (Stanley 2012). During the times of both world wars up until the 1980’s, blended families were not common. Once a couple married, they typically maintained their marriage for better or for worse. A couple’s family tree continued only after they had said their vows, when it was socially acceptable to reproduce. Most women in 1950 were...
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...control. (a) Discuss your understanding of these two functions. (b) Identify two “Dominate American Values”, and discuss how these values have influenced the development of today’s existing social policies and social welfare system. Provide examples? Social welfare programs have two major functions: social treatment and social control. Social treatment is “the provision of goods and services for the enhancement of human life” (Day & Schiele, 2013, p. 35). Programs like SNAP and Medicare are the services that are meant to help with this enhancement. Social control is “the provision...
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...Throughout the entire course we learned a lot of different aspects of American government, in particular the American core values. Liberty, individualism, equality and self-government are all American cultural ideals that are set serve the people. In this paper I hope to define each American core value and determine whether there’s evidence correlating them to American government. Liberty is defined as a person who is free to act and think as they choose as long as they don’t intervene with the freedom and well being of others. Liberty includes but is not limited to freedom of religion and freedom of speech. The declaration of independence states a popular phrase; people are entitled to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. Chapter two in the textbook turns its attention to a limited government, which implies strict legal limits on the use of power so that it doesn’t threaten an individual’s liberty. For example “the rights of the Englishmen” which are...
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...International Center discusses the American cultural values and how they may be seen through the eyes of international visitors. In his article he provides a list of thirteen ingrained values that most, if not all Americans have and share. He also explains how American actions through these values are very strange and unsettling in comparison to foreigner’s values. He calls these values “The Values Americans Live By” a list of thirteen values that explain how Americans act and what they deem as important to American society. He tries to explain this in a way that will assist international visitors understand the nature of American culture and how it may differ from theirs. He begins to explain that Americans cannot put their finger on their own values and are not able to identify what they believe as a whole. He also explains that the list is viewed by Americans as positive meaning that all the values listed are looked on as very favorable and advantageous to its culture. The list starts with how man has the right and should control nature and uses the example of space travel and landing on the moon. He explains that Americans do not rely on fate and will go so far as to criticize and demean people that do. Americans at all costs will do whatever it takes to control nature. Change is the next on the list and is inevitably a good thing that brings progression, advancement, and evolution. He suggests that Americans do not find much value in the heritage and traditions...
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