Is American culture inherently selfish?

[SomeRandom]

Okay, now before you guys go sharpening your pitchforks, hear me out.
I’m not saying Americans are all selfish jerks. Or even many of them.
But during the COVID response, many other countries grumbled about safety procedures and lockdowns. But for the most part complied out of concern for their fellow man and now many are reopening.
Meanwhile every other day I get bombarded with either news stories of super spreader events, people protesting masks and even the occasional opinion piece acting all incredulous at the apparent American response. Which is to say, was utterly selfish and immature.

But that’s just the perception I gather from the outside looking in. I think it’s more to do with an inherent distrust of government and perhaps even healthcare. Which given the horror stories I’ve heard over the years I can’t exactly blame people for.

What do y’all think? Does the American public favour personal freedom over the welfare of their neighbours?
Debate, discuss at your leisure.

(Mods feel free to put this wherever you please.)

 

[SalixIncendium]

Americans especially the younger generation, feel a sense of entitlement. I see many of them as tantrum throwing toddlers when they don't get their way, claiming their "freedoms" are being violated.

They'll come together in crisis for a while, but then their true colors come out when they feel someone is getting treated more favorably than they are.

 

[JustGeorge]

Absolutely.

I'd say it starts young. You're kind of taught in school that you are the center of the world... Many parents instill that in their children, too, it seems.

There's nothing wrong with building self esteem. But the attitude you're given at a young age is to just kind of do what you want, regardless of whom you step on. Get ahead. Be the best. Prove the other guy is wrong. Its always about you. If a friend is inconvenient, drop 'em. You don't need that. Its about you, remember?

I will say the US is a big place, and there are different cultures in different places. I speak from my experience in the Midwest.

 

[sun rise]

There have been anti-mask demonstrations in Europe as well. So to me, it's a matter of degree.

The American ethos has often been self-reliance. That was totally not the case during WWII and the lesson of that war lasted for decades until around Reagan in the 1980s approximately where the current trends got a boost.

But most people on a personal level aren't that way in spite of the media focus on the noisy. People tend to be helpful.

But a counter to that has been the speedy drift to the extremist authoritarian right especially under Trump with a bit of a counter tendency to move left as well.

 

[SomeRandom]

Americans especially the younger generation, feel a sense of entitlement. I see many of them as tantrum throwing toddlers when they don't get their way, claiming their "freedoms" are being violated.

They'll come together in crisis for a while, but then their true colors come out when they feel someone is getting treated more favorably than they are.

Doesn’t every generation say that about the younguns though? My dad was from the silent generation and used to tell me (with amused exasperation) how his father thought his generation were full of spoilt entitled brats.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Short answer? Yes.

Long answer? Indubitably.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Doesn’t every generation say that about the younguns though? My dad was from the silent generation and used to tell me (with amused exasperation) how his father thought his generation were full of spoilt entitled brats.

Perhaps, but having managed three generations of people since 1992, there is a distinct change in work ethic and entitlement since I began, and these values progressively deteriorated over those 28 years.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Okay, now before you guys go sharpening your pitchforks, hear me out.
I’m not saying Americans are all selfish jerks. Or even many of them.
But during the COVID response, many other countries grumbled about safety procedures and lockdowns. But for the most part complied out of concern for their fellow man and now many are reopening.
Meanwhile every other day I get bombarded with either news stories of super spreader events, people protesting masks and even the occasional opinion piece acting all incredulous at the apparent American response. Which is to say, was utterly selfish and immature.

But that’s just the perception I gather from the outside looking in. I think it’s more to do with an inherent distrust of government and perhaps even healthcare. Which given the horror stories I’ve heard over the years I can’t exactly blame people for.

What do y’all think? Does the American public favour personal freedom over the welfare of their neighbours?
Debate, discuss at your leisure.

(Mods feel free to put this wherever you please.)

I see the grumbling about masks as something else. Lots of people considered lock-downs and fear of covid19 to be merely yet another political maneuver. The youtuber comedian AwakenwithJP, for example, says that its a power play by the media elites who just want to keep everyone scared. Along with the mask and distancing came curfews and church closings, and that also created a lot of fear of government. Actually fear of government is a thing here in the US. We see governments all the time turn into dictatorships, and our republic sometimes reminds us of Rome's. I don't think people are too selfish to wear masks but that instead a lot of people think that the government overreacted to the illness, that it is exercising new powers or is expanding precedents in that direction (closing things and making curfews). A lot of people feel the government ought to trust its citizens to be reasonable, primarily because government is generally inefficient, bumbling, false faced. Our government has some very awful things its done and hidden from its own citizens. Its actions aren't transparent, and its like a chicken running around with no head.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Doesn’t every generation say that about the younguns though? My dad was from the silent generation and used to tell me (with amused exasperation) how his father thought his generation were full of spoilt entitled brats.

Honestly, my experience has been that the older a person gets, the more entitled they get. I feel like when people get older, they have less patience for niceties and instead just abruptly cut to the chase- often times in a rude way.

 

[JustGeorge]

Honestly, my experience has been the opposite. I feel like when people get older, they have less patience for niceties and instead just abruptly cut to the chase- often times in a rude way.

I have had yet a different experience. The young just blatantly ignore you while they stare into their 'little box'(my grandma's term for smartphones), and the elderly give you a terse smile while they think "get out of my way, kid".

We're antisocial in Iowa.

 

[SomeRandom]

Honestly, my experience has been that the older a person gets, the more entitled they get. I feel like when people get older, they have less patience for niceties and instead just abruptly cut to the chase- often times in a rude way.

Having worked in retail, it’s hard for me to deny this lmao

 

[SomeRandom]

Perhaps, but having managed three generations of people since 1992, there is a distinct change in work ethic and entitlement since I began, and these values progressively deteriorated over those 28 years.

I too work with youngsters. Many are earnest and hard working, if clumsy. I mean you can no doubt point out our many flaws as a generation. But yours was the generation who raised us

 

[SalixIncendium]

I too work with youngsters. Many are earnest and hard working, if clumsy. I mean you can no doubt point out our many flaws as a generation. But yours was the generation who raised us

On behalf of Gen X, please accept my apologies.

 

[osgart]

All you can ask for is help up not a handout. But I have no problem with entitlements for the permanently, and effectively disabled.
Providing people with those two things is worthy.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Okay, now before you guys go sharpening your pitchforks, hear me out.

Haha. I hate when people down American culture. I was born, raised, indoctrinated, and most likely die in the U.S. Kinda gets on my nerves when I see it happen....

What do y’all think? Does the American public favour personal freedom over the welfare of their neighbours?

No.

It's not an either or scenario. We value both. I feel personal freedom and autonomy doesn't mean you don't care about others. It just means that your obligation to help others comes from a personal individual calling or motivation rather than a communal one.

Try not to generalize Americans and especially don't go by what you see on television, dear gosh or RF for that matter. But I totally disagree personal freedom and believing one has rights means you don't care about other people. Culture clash not a political one.

 

[Nakosis]

Okay, now before you guys go sharpening your pitchforks, hear me out.
I’m not saying Americans are all selfish jerks. Or even many of them.
But during the COVID response, many other countries grumbled about safety procedures and lockdowns. But for the most part complied out of concern for their fellow man and now many are reopening.
Meanwhile every other day I get bombarded with either news stories of super spreader events, people protesting masks and even the occasional opinion piece acting all incredulous at the apparent American response. Which is to say, was utterly selfish and immature.

But that’s just the perception I gather from the outside looking in. I think it’s more to do with an inherent distrust of government and perhaps even healthcare. Which given the horror stories I’ve heard over the years I can’t exactly blame people for.

What do y’all think? Does the American public favour personal freedom over the welfare of their neighbours?
Debate, discuss at your leisure.

(Mods feel free to put this wherever you please.)

How many anti-maskers are there? I don't know any personally.

dozens, hundreds, thousands?

Maybe the media is making it seem like a bigger issue in the US than it is.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Having worked in retail, it’s hard for me to deny this lmao

Yahhh.... Even in healthcare I deal with a lot of old people. The crotchetiness is often amplified by the fact that they are going through a hard time. Unerstandable!

 

[Twilight Hue]

Okay, now before you guys go sharpening your pitchforks, hear me out.
I’m not saying Americans are all selfish jerks. Or even many of them.
But during the COVID response, many other countries grumbled about safety procedures and lockdowns. But for the most part complied out of concern for their fellow man and now many are reopening.
Meanwhile every other day I get bombarded with either news stories of super spreader events, people protesting masks and even the occasional opinion piece acting all incredulous at the apparent American response. Which is to say, was utterly selfish and immature.

But that’s just the perception I gather from the outside looking in. I think it’s more to do with an inherent distrust of government and perhaps even healthcare. Which given the horror stories I’ve heard over the years I can’t exactly blame people for.

What do y’all think? Does the American public favour personal freedom over the welfare of their neighbours?
Debate, discuss at your leisure.

(Mods feel free to put this wherever you please.)

Depends on the point of view. Its been selfishness all around i think.

 

[SomeRandom]

How many anti-maskers are there? I don't know any personally.

dozens, hundreds, thousands?

Maybe the media is making it seem like a bigger issue in the US than it is.

I dunno. The news I have seen seems more concerned at the overall nationwide health of the US.
Though the media always seems slightly concerned (although usually also bemused) by American happenings

 

[SomeRandom]

Haha. I hate when people down American culture. I was born, raised, indoctrinated, and most likely die in the U.S. Kinda gets on my nerves when I see it happen....

I’m not downing anyone. I’m just saying this is my impression based on how the US is presented on the world stage.

No.

It's not an either or scenario. We value both. I feel personal freedom and autonomy doesn't mean you don't care about others. It just means that your obligation to help others comes from a personal individual calling or motivation rather than a communal one.

Interesting. So it’s up to the person to find motivation to help others? Why not communal?
This seems to indicate a rather strong sense of individuality.

Try not to generalize Americans and especially don't go by what you see on television, dear gosh or RF for that matter. But I totally disagree personal freedom and believing one has rights means you don't care about other people. Culture clash not a political one.

When I visited my relies in California, I was taken aback just how friendly everyone was when casually walking down the street. Everyone said hello and smiled. Everyone. I didn’t know if I was being perceived as rude or not. Since I’m not used to such public interaction and did my best to keep up.
I almost felt an obligation to invite them over for dinner though.