TRADITIONAL AMERICAN VALUES AND

BELIEFS

Parlindungan PardedeUniversitas Kristen Indonesia

Jakarta

FUNDAMENTAL VIEW

DIVERSITY IN:• ETHNICS• RELIGIONS• CULTURES• RACES

RECOGNIZING & ACCEPTI

NG

THE ONLY PRACTICAL CHOICE

& ADVANTAGES

TRADITIONALVALUES & BELIEVES:FREEDOM

Brainstorming

• What is ‘freedom’?• Is one’s freedom limited by something? (If yes, by what, family, society, government? If no, what’s the consequence?)

FREEDO

M FREEDOM

FREEDOM

FREEDOM

Freedom is …"Man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts.“ (Ronald Reagan)

Freedom does mean the right to do as one pleases—to think, believe, speak, worship (or not worship), move about, gather, and generally act as you choose—but only until your choices start to violate another person’s freedom (Mike Treader)

For Americans, freedom is the desire and right of all individuals to control their own destiny without outside interference from the government, a ruling noble class, the church and any other organized authority.

THREE TRADITIONAL VALUES AND BELIEFS

“… all men are created equal,

they are endowed by their Creator

with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty,

and the pursuit of Happiness.“

The Declaration of Independence

(1776)

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM• SELF -RELIANCE

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY• COMPETITION

MATERIAL WEALTH• HARDWORK

HISTORY TERRITORY & DIVERSITY

Individual Freedom• I.F. = the desire & right of all individuals to control their own destiny without outside interference (government, ruling noble class, the church, etc.)

• Price: Self-reliance—rooted in the believe that everybody should stand on their own feet. E.g. at 18-21 years old, Americans are financially and emotionally independent from their parents.

• Relying on someone or any organization or charity means losing one’s independence.

Individual

FreedomSelf-relianc

e

What outsiders see as INDIVIDUALISM is what Americans call FREEDOM

Individual Freedom

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM IN AMERICAN FAMILY

A family primary purpose is to advance the happiness of its individual members. Thus,

The needs of each individual take priority in the life of the family

Main responsibility of a family members is not to advance the family’s (as a group) economy, social-role, and honor, but to realize the members’ happiness.

Aristocracy keeps on dimming from American society.

CHILD RAISING (1)

A newborn baby is put in a separate room belongs only him in order to preserve parent’s privacy and to develop the child’s personal independence and individualismCOMMON EXPRESSIONS: Children should (1) “cut the (umbilical) cord” (2) not to be “tied to their mothers’ apron strings.”

(3) learn to “look out for number one” (4) “to stand on their own two feet.” American children are soon taught to make decisions and be responsible for their actions. Encouragement to work for money outside the home is a first step to establishing autonomy. 9-10 year old children may deliver newspapers in their neighborhoods and save or spend their earnings. Teenagers (13 to 18 years) baby-sit at neighbors’ homes

Child Raising (2)

In the United States…very few children are raised to believe that their principal destiny is to serve their family, their country, or their God [as is the practice in some other countries]. Generally children [in USA] are given the feeling that they can set their own aims and occupation in life, according to their inclinations. We are raising them to be rugged individualists…. (Spock, B., and Steven P. 1998: 7)

YOUNG ADULTHOODo Between 18 and 21 years children are encouraged, but not force, to “leave their nest” and begin an independent life—having their own social relationships and financial support outside the family.

o Children choose their own spouses—usually based on romantic love. Parents do not arrange marriages for children, nor do children usually ask permission of their parents to get married.

o Americans’ willingness to try something new, the urge to be jack-of-all-trades, self reliance, and independence drive a child to choose a career that is different from one’s father

THE ELDERLY• American senior citizens choose to live in nursing homes or retirement communities because: (1) U.S. Social security or welfare systems financially support the elderly; (2) in nursing homes they will find peer group association within their own age group; American's glorification of youth and indifference to the aged

• This separation of the elderly from the young has left many older people alienated and alone.

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND COMPETITION• Equality of Opportunity=

everyone has equal chance to enter the race for success.

• Rooted in early immigrants belief that everyone has a chance to succeed in America and many proved their dreams were fulfilled.

• Price: competition. This makes Americans are urged to match their energy, intelligence, and creativity with their neighbors. They honor ‘winners’ but despise ‘losers’.

• Americans get free from the pressure of competition only when they retire at the age of 65. But it makes them feel useless and unwanted for not joining the ‘race’ which give—them prestige—any more.

Equality of

Opportunity

Competition

Importance of Hard Work“There are no secrets to success: don’t waste time looking for them. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those for whom you work, and persistence.” (Collin Powell)

Material Wealth & Hard Work• Material Wealth = the indicator

of one’s social status in society (due to the rejection of hereditary aristocracy and titles of nobility

• Material Wealth ≠ materialism. For Americans, material wealth has a religious value—rooted in Puritanism viewing material success as God’s love. So to succeed is the life goal of most Americans.

• Price: hard work. This makes some Americans work compulsively and become workaholics. Some regard them as valuable members of society for their high production and efficiency; some others see them as individuals with mental problems

Material

WealthHard work

Are American values idealism or reality?

The American values are not always put into practice. Despite the equality of opportunity, •Some people have a better chance for success than others; •Race & gender may still be factors affecting success;•Inheriting money is an advantage.

However, most Americans still believe and are strongly affected by these values. In addition, more and more laws are issued to promote equality of opportunity.

Bibliography

Althen, Gary, Amanda R. D. and Susan J. S. (2nd ed.). 2003. American ways: A guide for foreigners in the United States. Maine: Intercultural Press.

Kearny, Edward N., Mary Ann Kearny, and Jo Ann Crandal (3rd ed). 2005. The American ways: An introduction to American culture. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.

Spock, B. and Steven P. 1998. Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Topic to Discuss in Blog

If Americans had to pick a value of their country that they are most proud of, over 90 percent would choose freedom. What value are the majority of Indonesians most proud of? How does it affect life in Indonesia?