Is American culture inherently selfish?

[Stevicus]

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

Oh darn... :::puts away pitchfork:::

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.

It may be something to do with the culture, although America has had a history of cooperation and community spirit in the past. My parents and grandparents generations often spoke of having to share, sacrifice, and pull together during the Depression and WW2. But then came the "me generation" when it was all about "me, me, me." I'm not sure where it came from or how, but somehow, we became a nation of selfish NIMBYs whose only goals in life is to keep up with the Joneses (or maybe the Kardashians now) and die with the most toys.

Apart from that, a lot of people are just selfish jerks. I notice this every time I drive out on the city streets. The way some people drive shows a flagrant disregard for public safety. It seems there's a similar disregard about COVID.

I like to think that these super spreader events and "mask-holes" are the exception and not the rule, as most people I see are wearing masks and following guidelines as best they can. It hasn't been an easy time, so I can understand people getting tired of all this. But I haven't personally witnessed any open defiance of mask ordinances. However, they just imposed a curfew which some people are a bit perturbed by.

 

[SomeRandom]

I think it's only a problem when one boss doesn't want to relinquish his command for the other to take charge.

I was watching video training on how to be come a NAVY SEAL elite militant a couple of minutes ago. I think US militants would be the closest to communal obligations than the lay American public (those of us who don't have religious, militant, .. group ties). But in the military, it's cooperation focused because each person when they level up get a individual recognition for their service and leadership for their helping their group and Americans to keep each other safe. Yet, I was watching, no militant singled himself out apart from the group.

Our history always had that together/apart mentality. Even though parents tell their children when they are of age, they need to work and leave the house, there are a lot of children who take care of their elders while living their own lives with their family.

In other words, communal relationships exist in America its just not a cultural identity since we're so diverse both regional and in general.

Fascinating.

Here there's a lot of trust factors involved with Americans. How are you and smiles become more personal the more we get to know you. But just walking by, how are you is another word for hello. So, I guess it's similar to what you're saying when it comes to that. Except for the cheers, mate.

Here I think we only say hello if we know each other. We may say g’day or how ya going? But usually interactions are for friends, cashiers or random convos that can crop up.

Oh. The State of Virginia.

Ha. I got the same here and I'm only 39 but growing some gray I convince myself I'm the only one who can see it when looking in the mirror. But I look like I'm in my mid twenties. Language use is definitely regional. My mother told her not to call her ma'am because she felt we (her children) aren't slaves and we don't have a master. Yet, you go down south and if you don't call your elder by her last name or ma'am or mrs you get the dirty eye.

Interesting. In my mother’s culture one’s elders are referred to as Aunt and Uncle. Mother/Father or Grandmother/father for the elderly. Brother and sister for your peers.
Aussies meanwhile consider it exceedingly polite if you say ma’am or sir. Usually first name basis is fine. Or “mate” if you don’t know them.
We’re pretty laid back. I recall as a kid accidentally calling my Aussie uncle by his first name, simply because he’s Aussie lol.

Western born easterner, I heard that. I don't know what culture I am since African Americans tend to be a mix of this or that in regards to ethnicity and heritage. I know American is a nationality not an ethnicity but if someone asked me my cultural heritage, I'd say American.

Fair enough

 

[SomeRandom]

Oh darn... :::puts away pitchfork:::

It may be something to do with the culture, although America has had a history of cooperation and community spirit in the past. My parents and grandparents generations often spoke of having to share, sacrifice, and pull together during the Depression and WW2. But then came the "me generation" when it was all about "me, me, me." I'm not sure where it came from or how, but somehow, we became a nation of selfish NIMBYs whose only goals in life is to keep up with the Joneses (or maybe the Kardashians now) and die with the most toys.

Apart from that, a lot of people are just selfish jerks. I notice this every time I drive out on the city streets. The way some people drive shows a flagrant disregard for public safety. It seems there's a similar disregard about COVID.

I like to think that these super spreader events and "mask-holes" are the exception and not the rule, as most people I see are wearing masks and following guidelines as best they can. It hasn't been an easy time, so I can understand people getting tired of all this. But I haven't personally witnessed any open defiance of mask ordinances. However, they just imposed a curfew which some people are a bit perturbed by.

Fair enough. Also, I’m so stealing “mask-holes” lol that’s genius

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Well I did refrain from bringing up Religion, for fear of alienating some answers.
But it’s hard not to think of the American stereotype of the hypocritical Christian. That exists all over I know. But it seems a trope in and of itself in American media

OOoh... Christianity... the community/individual mentality in caring the welfare of others from a christian perspective is two-fold and probably its own 4,000 posts thread. But religious views are embedded in our way of thinking-our laws, morals, etc. Evangalistic mindset is (in my opinion) a more selfish way of looking at things... but even with colonization... and buying property and things like that we've always been a bit territorial. If we were communal focused, christianity would be the foundation of our decisions. Can you imagine if everyone thought everyone else who didn't agree all were doomed?

Individuality can be a good thing, no?

 

[ValdresRose]

In 1349 svartedauden, the Black Death, came to Norway. When it ran it's course 1/3 of the population was dead. Today we know what the pest is, the microbe that causes the illness, but after 670 years we still don't know how to contain it. This is going to be our next challenge.

We are not selfish, we are motivated by fear! Over 95% of us don't feel our fear, we react to it. Fear gives rise to anger and without leadership to direct our anger we lash out, we want to survive. We can't depend on a tyrant to lead us to still waters!

 

[SomeRandom]

OOoh... Christianity... the community/individual mentality in caring the welfare of others from a christian perspective is two-fold and probably its own 4,000 posts thread. But religious views are embedded in our way of thinking-our laws, morals, etc. Evangalistic mindset is (in my opinion) a more selfish way of looking at things... but even with colonization... and buying property and things like that we've always been a bit territorial. If we were communal focused, christianity would be the foundation of our decisions. Can you imagine if everyone thought everyone else who didn't agree all were doomed?

Individuality can be a good thing, no?

Evangelicals do seem rather hypocritical.
Religion varies as does morals and values.
The basic tenants I suppose is fairly consistent-ish.

Individuality is fine in and of itself. But if you focus so much on it, you can become hubristic and selfish. Imo

 

[Stevicus]

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Fair enough. Also, I’m so stealing “mask-holes” lol that’s genius

That's okay, because I stole it from somebody else.

 

[The Hammer]

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.

Starting with Socrates.

" The children now love luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are tyrants, not servants of the households. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize over their teachers.'
(Commonly attributed to SOCRATES by Plato,)

 

[Unveiled Artist]

The thing is can we judge a mixing boal nation when we only like but so long to talk with half a percent of them. US is bigger than many people think.

 

[SomeRandom]

Starting with Socrates.

" The children now love luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are tyrants, not servants of the households. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize over their teachers.'
(Commonly attributed to SOCRATES by Plato,)

Ahh yes. The original boomer