You have an open invitation to come to the Round Table Discussion Forum. The purpose is to have a forum where you can ask questions or make comments to assist in the learning of English or learning about another culture.
To start the conversation, I suggest for you to write on the following topics:
1. The positive characteristics of your culture.
2. The negative characteristics of your culture.
3. A curiosity you may have about another culture.
I’ll start first.
A. Positive characteristics of American Culture:
1. Freedom to be yourself (Independence)
Americans are individualistic and desire to be expressive according to our own mind and do not like being like everyone else or owning the same exact thing that someone else has. For example, if a woman buys a certain dress, she doesn’t want to have the same dress another woman has. If a man buys a certain car, he doesn’t want it to be the same color as another man (who is near).
2. Opportunity
It’s been said, “America is the land of opportunity” which is true but is not equal for everybody. However, for someone who has a creative mind and pursues their dream by working hard, it is possible to succeed. For example, many immigrants who barely can speak English have started businesses. I personally knew a Vietnamese man who worked hard, saved his money and bought a house to rent. After awhile, he bought another house to rent and eventually ended up with 4 or 5 houses and was a landlord to all the renters.
3. Innovation
The American culture is conducive for people to be innovative because you don’t have your thinking programmed by someone else. By thinking outside the box you can pursue your innovation and obtain funding from venture capitalists or investors who also are looking for ways to receive a good investment return on their money.
The irony is that many innovators in America are non-native born Americans. For example:
Elon Musk (Space X, Tesla, PayPal founder from South Africa)
Sergey Brim (Co-founder of Google from Russia)
Alexander Graham Bell (Inventor of the telephone from Scotland)
Jan Koum (Co-founder of Whatsapp from Ukraine)
Native-Born American Innovators
Steve Jobs / Steve Wozniak (Apple Inc.)
Bill Gates (Microsoft)
Jeff Bezos (Amazon Inc.)
Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) and others
4. Generosity
American people are very generous and willing to contribute to those who are in need.
5. Friendliness
People in American society are generally friendly and approachable. You could ask a total stranger for something and they would try to help you. This doesn’t include the criminal part of society. Just be aware of your surroundings and know if you’re not in Kansas anymore.
B. Negative Characteristics of American Culture:
1. Pre-occupation for money
From the very beginning of the American Culture, there has been an intense mindset to do whatever it takes to acquire money to this present day. This aspect of the culture has destroyed relationships, caused discontent, and the love of it has been the root cause of the evil that has permeated American society.
2. Materialism
Although materialism depends of the attitude of the individual person, generally speaking, it can be generalized that the American culture promotes an excessive desire for things as opposed to developing good relationships. One of the first words of a child is “mine.” This mindset is promoted throughout society with a constant barrage of various messages telling you that you need this, that, and the other if you want to have a happy fulfilling life.
3. Institutionalized Bias
Notwithstanding the history of bias against certain people in American culture, it still is prevalent in society and is something that can be classified as a negative in the culture.
However, there is a desire to improve in this regard and is a continuing struggle to make things fair to all people.
Well, both lists could go on and on but these were written that I thought were at the top.
Feel free to ask any questions but I would rather avoid religious dialogue because of the strong feelings that are inherent in the subject.
Let’s come around the table and talk.
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