Essays on American Values

Materialism in America isn’t something new, rather it’s something that has been a part of American society for some time now. Materialism is defined as valuing material possessions and physical comfort over spiritual values. In today’s society, we have hundreds if not thousands of examples...

American values are a tricky thing. It seems that the value set changes with each individual. American pragmatism is actually rooted in deeply held anti-authoritarian, individualistic, egalitarian, activist ideals, which privilege personal choice, flexibility, and technical efficiency with the pursuit of success, however success is...

How culturally determined are the values you hold dear? You can see some “American” values on page 110. What are some of these values that you ascribe to? Why do you believe this? What are the differences in how the four factors of values from...

What does it truly mean to be an American? Some people say its to learn a whole new language, to be religious, that you were suppose to be born here in the states (or if your parents were born here), or to have an ethnic...

Every country has different everyday ways and cultural mores. To get to know American life, it pays to know certain mannerisms most native-born Americans share. For instance, greetings; Americans shake hands firmly with each other when first introduced, and when they meet again. Social kissing;...

The word value has many meanings firstly it means the worth of something that can be traded with an amount of money, but it could also mean morals, and a person’s principles and their standards. Values have to do a lot with ethics since they...

The American Dream is the ideal by equality of opportunity to achieve one’s goals and have a better life. Many people have a dream, but not everyone has an equal opportunity in achieving it. Achieving the American Dream isn’t easy because it requires one to...

Many people misunderstand the real concept of the American Dream. Most of them think that this phrase means a great career and money – famous saying ‘from rags to riches’. However, the true meaning of the American Dream is slightly different. The true meaning of...

The American dream if often and can be described as given the opportunity to lay a foundation for your future, along with making something out of one’s self. As the United States is now a melting pot, regardless of your ethnic background you have the...

A topic of this essay, the American dream, is the notion, that anyone coming to American can make it big. Making it big in America means having a loving family, owning a house, and getting paid – achieving a “better, richer, and happier life” is...

Throughout the history of our country the American dream has been a constant symbol of the opportunity that the United States offers. Many people and authors have different ideas of what the American dream is. Some believe that it is just the fact that you...

America has always been a place of ideals, a place where people have striven for their concept of a perfect lifestyle. Certain virtues have permeated the American spirit, and they continue to influence social revolutionaries today. Motivation, courage, intellect, and thoughtfulness are some of the...

“The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights – these are not simply words written into aging parchment. They are the foundation of liberty and justice in this country, and a light that shines for all who seek freedom, fairness, equality, and dignity...

America is a country that allows me to vote when I’m 18, I’ll have a say in who I want for as the next president, or governor of my state. America is a country where I have to follow laws for everyone’s safety. America is...

In modern day American society, people are expected to abide by certain unspoken social rules-social norms. In “How We Believe”, from Acting Out Culture, several authors take their audiences through different sections of social norms to explain where these social rules and norms came from...

The two writers, Tennessee Williams and F.Scott Fitzgerald, express the American Dream to be nothing more than a myth; rather it’s a desire that people strive for. In ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, Blanche is seen to aspire to the fantasies of a high class lifestyle....

There’s a lot that goes into being an American, one huge thing that is the root of being an American is freedom, to be an American means that you must continue to grow industrially. When our country went to war with each other, it was...

“Here’s the story of a lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls. All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, the youngest one in curls. It’s the story of a man named Brady, who was busy with three boys of...

The American dream is a concept rooted in the cornerstone of the American culture. It is a term that signifies more than just hope and aspiration – it is the embodiment of the American spirit. The American dream – officially termed in 1931 by historian...

What does it mean to be an American? Does it mean patriotism? Is it the feeling of pride when your singing the national anthem? To be clear there are many things that makes a true American. They can be of any race, any color, speak...

Our lives are inherently subjected to economic, political, and sociological trends. Fortunately, the plasticity of human nature allows us to adapt to these perpetually changing environments. Over the past 60 years, the United States has proven itself as one of the quintessential examples of these...

Promising a new life full of wealth, happiness and opportunity, the American Dream brought over five million immigrants to the United States in the twentieth century. Through her memoir Heartland, author Sarah Smarsh reveals the less publicized perspective by taking the reader on a journey...

Have you ever disliked school? I believe education is an essential factor in America along with our rights and equality. Education assists us to do our daily life activities in the most reliable way we can. Our rights and equality are vital because equality apprises...

McDonald’s is as American as you can get, or so I thought. Eating burgers and having fireworks for the 4th of July. that is what is thought of us by the world, but of course being American is much bigger than just eating donuts and...

In today’s society, the American dream is far more attainable than it was during which the short stories “Winter Dreams” and “The Story of an Hour” were written, by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Kate Chopin respectively. The idea of the American dream is alive and...

“Get rich or die tryin” (Millionairemob) was an album by rapper 50 Cent that tells a story of the American dream. The lyrics of many of the songs provoke mental imagery of the rags to riches story of someone, who with a little luck and...

The most significant event in America during our time frame of 1860-1900 is the Civil War, and thankfully everybody should already know at least the gist of the defining moment. Most of us know what happened, why it happened, and the general outcome of it...

Having a strong education, even a high school diploma, inconceivably impacts how agreeable your life will be and what openings will be exhibited to you. Whichever career path you choose to take, branches out what you could seek after, however your level of education is...

In his book, Ordinary Men, Christopher R. Browning creates a vivid and heart wrenching depiction of the genocide of the Jewish population living in Poland during the 1940’s. Approximately six million Jews were killed throughout the course of the Holocaust. Thousands of Nazi soldiers, under...

The documentation of hidden history is important because it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows us to understand our present. When we want to know how and why our world is like it is. Proper documentation of history allows us to...