4.
MATERIAL WEALTH AND HARD WORK
MATERIAL WEALTH
* A better life:
- Because of : United State’s incredibly abundant natural resources and a land of plenty
milions could come to seek fortunes
- The third reason why immigrants come to the United States.
- The most compelling reason for leaving their hometown.
To rise their standard of living.
- The fact:
+ most immigrants did not “ get rich overnight ” , and suffered terribly.
+ majoriy were able to improve their former standard of living.
(The 42 immigrants among American’s richest 400 people on Forbes and many other successful
immigrants )
- “ Going from rags to riches ” become a slogan for “ American Dream ”.
- The dream came true for many immigrants achieved and become attached to
material things
Material Wealth became a values to American people.
Material possessions :
- Placing a high value on material possessions is called materialism
- Americans do not like to be called “ materialic ”, this means that person values
material possession above all else.
Why acquiring and maintaining a large number of material possessions is still
important for Americans ?
- It has traditionally been accepted measure of social status in United States.
- Americans rejected the European system of hereditary aristocracy and titles of
nobility must find substitue for judging social status
- Puritan work ethic associated material possession with godliness.
HARD WORKING
- A price for their material wealth.
- The North American continent was rich in natural resources which were
undeveloped
immigrants must work hard to convert these resources into material possesions
- Material possessions are natural rewards, their tangible evidences and abilities for
hard work.
- Difference in material possessions reflected a difference in personal abilities
( Jame Madison,1700s )
- Most American still belive in value of hard work
Reform the welfare system so that people do not become dependent on welfare.
Is it still possible to work hard and get rich in America?
- As the United States transitioned from an industrial-based economy to an
information- or service-based economy :
+ well-paying jobs for factory workers is declined.
+ harder for the average worker to get rich.
- As the United States competes in a global economy :
+ many workers are losing their old jobs.
+ Have to work longer hours to earn less and less benefits.
- As the economy weakens :
+ the working poor – those who work hard but earn low-paying, low
standard of living,don't have health insurance and retirement benefits.
+ have relied on some outside support from the government or other
sources.
Many wonder what has happend to the traditional American Dream.
[Link] VALUES AND THE STATE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM
THE STATE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.
In recent years, as the economy has declined whether the American Dream is really
dead ?
- Distance between the very rich one percent and the rest of the population has
increased dramatically.
- Most Americans still believe in the ideal of the American Dream: if they work
hard, they and their children can have a better life.
- The ideal of upward mobility still exists
- Distinguishing between idealism and reality in understanding the relationship
between what Americans believe and how they live.
- Some working poor still hope American Dream will exist again.
AMERICAN VALUES
- Equality of opportunity and self-reliance : are ideals that may not necessarily
describe the reality of American life.
- Equality of opportunity : is an ideal that is not always put into practice
+ In fact, some people have a better chance of success than others.
+ People born into a rich families have more opportunities than those born
into a poorer one.
+Inheriting money does give a person a decided advantage.
Race and gender: can still be factors in success
New immigrants continue to face unique challenges to their situation.
Importance of American values :
- The fact that American ideals are only partially realized in real life : does not
diminish their importance.
- Most Americans still believe in them and are strongly influenced by them in their
daily lives.
- Understand what these traditional American cultural values are and how they have
influenced almost every facet of life in the United States Easier to understand
what Americans are thinking and feeling.
Two things are important to remember :
- First, they are cultural values and the cultural engine.
drives the United States and continue to power a nation where people from all
over the world come and become "Americans".
- Secondly, putting these six values together into a system that will create something
new.
+ The relationship between these values – the rights and responsibilities -
creates the “fabric” of American society.
+ This fabric that defines the American Dream
the belief that if people take responsibility and work hard, they will have
the individual freedom to pursue personal goals and have a good chance of
competing for success.
- These values are tightly woven together
if one of them is pulled out or even disturbed, the whole fabric will be affected and
may come apart.
CONCLUDING :
- 6 cultural values : individual freedom, self-reliance, equality of opportunity,
competition, material wealth, and hard work : do not tell the whole story of the
American character.
- They form the basic structure or framework of American culture.
- Enable a nation of enormous diversity to create and maintain a national identity.
