PRESENTED BY :

1. BRILYAWAN ADI

2. ADITYA KURNIAWAN

3. DEWI NUR RIZCHI

4. ERLIANA NUR DAMAYANTI

5. RIFKA AYU MUQTADIR

6. SUSANTI NOVITA SARI

TRADITIONAL VALUES

Values = a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life.

Today, the US is the most diverse country in the world

Racially, ethnically, culturally, religously

The US has always had some diversity: Native Americans

Spanish settlers

French missionaries

Black slaves

British colonists

Choice for America

Diversity = Pluralism (more than one)

The high diversity in the US meant that people had no choice but to accept it

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM SELF RELIANCE

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY COMPETITION

MATERIAL WEALTH HARD WORK

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM Individual freedom (i.e. you can do

anything you want to do) is the most basic American value.

The British colonial settlers want to escape from:

- kings and governments

- priest and churches

- nobleman and aristocrats

1776, the British settlers declared their independence and establish a new nation

1787, the Constitution for their new nation

Individualism = freedom

Historic decisions:

Limiting the power of the government

Eliminating a formal aristocracy

The desire and the right of all individuals is emerged by freedom

It was a basic value of the new nation in 1776

SELF-RELIANCE

Self-reliance is a price for having individual freedom

Achieving both financial and emotional independence

“stand on their own two feet”

Self-reliance is also a traditional basic American value

Should Americans be self-reliant or not?

Receiving financial support

Keeping their freedom

Government

Charity

Family Losing their freedom

Losing respect

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY

• “Equality of opportunity” Each individual has an equal

opportunity for success

• “Success” is the main goal of American life – everyone should have the same chance to be successful

• Free from excessive political, religious, and social controls

• Titles of nobility were forbidden in the Constitution

In quality of opportunity, Americans do not mean of everyone is-should be equal.

The concept of fair play is an important aspect of the belief in equality of opportunity

COMPETITION

Competition is a price for getting equality of opportunity

The concept of the winners and losers

Winners are people who like to compete

Losers are people who do not like to compete

People who don’t compete well are seen as misfits

The pressures of competition in the life of an American begin in childhood and continue until retirement from work

The pressure of competition causes Americans to be energetic

However, the pressure of competition also places a constant emotional strain on them

Material Wealth

Slogan for the “American Dream” is the phrase “going from rags to riches”

Material wealth has traditionally been accepted measure of social status in the United States

“Materialism” – to place a high value on material possessions (cars, jewelry, etc)

Why are Americans materialistic?

Hard Work Americans have paid a price for their

material wealth : hard work

Most Americans, still believe in the value of hard work

The limitation of welfare system has some problems :

Some problems are the cost of health care

Many employers no longer offer health insurance

Many families are living in poverty

THE AMERICAN DREAM

J.T.Adams in The Epic of America expressed the term as “the dream of a land in which life should be better, richer, and fuller for every man with opportunities for each according to his abilities and achievement”.

American Dream is based on people’s ability, provided they use enough effort, to reach any goal.