What the Top 10 American Traits Tell About American Culture

Know About Top 10 American Traits Tell About American Culture

The US has always been a superpower in the world in terms of politics and virtually every industry, making its citizens feel the same too. They always have a ‘larger-than-life’ way of looking at the world, whether it is in terms of their cars (massive SUV’s) or in terms of their food (hamburgers).  Over the years, several immigrants have started living in the country and have influenced its culture in many ways. This write-up will help us look at some of their traits that can clearly be seen today.

American Culture Characteristics

1. Valuing Privacy– Americans are known to value their privacy greatly. Neither do they like to step into others’ private spaces nor do they want others to do so in their lives. They value relationships for what they are and not for why they’re of a particular kind.
2. Freedom of Choice– They like to be able to choose from all available products or situations. This explains why car manufacturers offer a large number of trim levels for their vehicles.
3. Independence– Americans like to be totally independent and free from others. This explains why they have imbibed getting out and earning on their own from the age of 16 years.
4. Too Much Weight– A huge percentage of Americans is overweight these days, with many of them being obese. They do not have proper meals and binge on junk food most of the time. Further, the current pandemic has eliminated exercise from many of their lives.
5. Country of Opportunities– Most people in America believe that their government will always provide equal work opportunities for all people, irrespective of caste, class, creed, or color. They believe that they’re the most tolerant society in the world.
6. Punishable by Law– Littering, tagging, and graffiti attract punishment from the law enforcement in America. It may even lead to jail in certain cases.
7. Insulting a Religion– Insulting a caste, religion, or ethnicity is against the law and may be classified as a hate crime here
8. Informal Communication– Americans are very informal while talking and often assign nicknames to the people they know. They like to shorten several words and create their own version of the English language. For example, ‘Howdy’ is slang and a shorter version of ‘How are you?’
9. Respect the Line– Americans in a line will never try to get ahead of each other. They never push anyone ahead or behind them in the line.
10. No Sexist Remarks– Men should never ever make ‘sexist’ remarks about women. The two genders are never considered unequal to each other here.

Those coming from Japan consider making direct eye contact as rude. Maintaining eye contact is also a very important part of business discussions for Americans.

Are Americans Spoilt?

Some people around the world are compelled to believe that Americans are a spoilt group. The following behavioral aspects make them think this way:

• Be the First– They wish to be the first in everything they do, and throw tantrums if not possible
• My Way or the Highway– They believe there’s only one right way of doing something, and that’s their way
• Always Want More– Despite having the most material possessions, they are forever greedy for more
• Spend Like There’s No Tomorrow– Though a lot of them have started saving money now, there still are many who live from paycheck to paycheck. They blow away the entire money on one paycheck and often spend above their means.
• Equal Opportunity and Equal Results– They can be considered as somewhat naïve by believing that equal opportunities always lead to equal results
• No Importance to Higher Education– A significant percentage of them do not complete education after high school, although this may also be attributed to the high education prices. Despite this, they complain that they do not get suitable work opportunities.
• Speak Ill for Arabs– Many of them are known to speak ill about Arabs
• Promoting Gun Culture– Maximum number of people die here due to handguns

American Culture Values

Americans always show high regard for the following values:

• Mobility or Change
• Personal Control over Environment
• Importance of Time
• Independence and Individualism
• Equality
• Free Enterprise and Competition
• Self-Help
• Action and Work Orientation
• Materialism
• Efficiency

Following Their Own Sports

Americans are known to have their own versions of many popular sports in the world. Here a few instances:

• Soccer is the name given to football in Europe and in other parts of the world. A different version of it known as American football is played here.
• Cricket is popular all over the world, but Americans prefer to stick to an alternative called baseball
• Auto racing tournaments such as Indy 500 and Nascar are unique to the US

 

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