AMERICAN CULTURE. TAKE A LOOK

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American Culture
At times citizens of the United States rightfully wonder whether they can define themselves in a true American culture or not. It seems that other nations have a culture of their own, whereas American society due to its large diversity of nationalities seems to lack a culture of its own.
Often refered to as a melting pot, American society has always had difficulties shaping a common culture as other nations. However, the American people do share some traits which have helped shaped the generalizations they are known for overseas. Generalizations and prejudical stereotypes that date back 200 years or more.
Ever since Daniel Boone explored and mastered the wilderness country of Kentucky in the late 17th century, the United States have always been viewed as the land of opportunity. Not having titles of nobility and any formal class system, the country attracted a lot of immigrants from all over the world. Everyone who travelled to America believed in equality of opportunty. A phenomenon that antropologist Alexis de Tocqueville also noticed:


Those who came to America was entitled to a piece of the action and almost everybody tried to succeed in the race for fortune. This race – often refered to as the rat race – led to immense wealth for some and social rejection of others. Americans at any age started to match their energy and intelligence against that of others in a competitive contest for success. A contest that led to a natural division of winners on one side and losers on the other.
Suddenly everyone wanted to become rich and the foundation for the American Dream of going from rags to riches was laid. Because of the vast riches of natural resources in the country, a lot of the new settlers ended up becoming real rags to riches stories. Although many Americans became rich beyond their wildest dreams, they had to go to great lengths in order to achieve what they had always dreamed of. Apart from working hard each and every day, they had to rely on themselves and step on someone’s toes along their way to wealth. It was all about starting from scratch, give it all you had got, and hopefully you would be able to come out of all the hardships victorious.
Hard work, self-reliance and individualism are also values today’s Americans recognize and zealously guard. Today’s Americans - driven by goals of wealth and willingness to take risks as their ancestors – measure everything in time and money. Though Americans feel unfairly accused of loving material things and putting religious values aside when pushing forward, the amount of a person’s material belongings equates his success, social status and personal abilties.
Considering and sizing everthing in money and time, however, has often frightened and disgusted foreign businessmen. When doing business with an American, foreign businessmen are all to well aware that Americans using hard work, opportunism, financial superiority and straightforward deal-focused negotiation methods aim to make as much money as they can as quickly as possible.
Besides that, businessmen also know that a solution always exist when doing business with an American. Usually refered to as a can-do spirit, Americans believe that a problem no matter how difficult it may appear to be can be solved in just a matter of time.
It is not surprise that they - since the first immigrant sat his food on American soil - have taken great pride in overcoming difficulties, which ranging from selling a car radio to sending a man to the moon, has helped American culture become dominant in every part of the world!