American Culture
I am speaking as a Colombian citizen today, American culture is not the best at making sure that everyone feels happy, and that constitutional rights are respected.
Recently living in Albany, NY, I have been a victim of harassment by my neighbors, something that the police department feels is not necessary to address. I have been unable to keep my job and now I am being displaced due to behaviors from other individuals, outside of my control, who decide what to do and how things happen.
In American culture, a good story sells, a rapper who gets killed, a singer who takes their clothes off on stage, a story that makes for sensationalism. I have noticed that people in the United States are actually pretty ashamed of who they are, no matter how patriotic they present themselves. For example, when there are demonstrations about a controversial topic, nobody wants to show their facade and intentions are hidden.
As a citizen of Colombia, I have been accustomed to service, to being polite, diplomatic, to appreciate and respect history, the elders, everything that seems good in life. Americans value other things, like fights between gangs, music that encourages violence, beauty adoration or a political scandal in which the subject matter is either an older white man with power and money, or a woman from a minority.
Diversification in the United States exists only in some circles, and the appreciation for people is pretty much gone. In American culture, people appreciate and value things, big homes, big cars, big stores, anything that displays power and money.
Money runs in the blood of Americans and those who have the most, are the ones getting ahead, getting the right job, the right position in society, the right place in their circle and the most enjoyment out of life. Money is something that the system of capitalism runs on, it is what feeds it and what creates the opportunities that the rest of the world wants and desires.
In my opinion, coming from both ends of the spectrum, I have come to realize that the answer when someone asks what is important, is to question one’s own values. What do we value, what do we appreciate and what do we desire? The question is not who is right and who is wrong, it is more about what we think is important to us.
To enter into a more philosophical conversation, some people believe that answers to the problems of society lie in nature and the conservation of the environment. Plants tell us stories from centuries ago when other species lived on earth, when the idea of civilization and society did not exist. Once in a while I think of people as species, some of us have faculties that others do not, and at the same time, we are vastly different. I think the idea here is to see every person as a slate of components that form their DNA.
DNA, as seen from the scientific perspective, are genes that encompass our body. So, each person has characteristics which make them vulnerable to various environments. The mind of a human being is very complex, and there are events that shape the psyche of the individual, making it prone to actions and reactions based on the environment.
To end, American culture is based on freedom, and each freedom is specified in the Constitution. The ability to live in a Democratic society has its beginnings in many cultures, but the ability to think and act in a manner that is civilized can only be nurtured and taught through our norms, manners and education.