The values Americans live by.

Response 7
THE VALUES AMERICANS LIVE BY
By L. Robert Kohls, Ph.D.
According to this reading, Americans practice a lot of values, and practices that for them are positive, but in third countries are seen like negatives.They believe they are unique, even though they are sharing in a group with many people they like; I perceive this like “they believe they are the best people on earth”, but once you say you are “the best”, you are not longer the best one anymore.
Americans think that they should control whatever can affect them, we are the other way around we are controlled by others. I mean Americans’ control is not only about controlling environment, it is also about controlling everything around them; Latin America is under their control, we must allow want ever they want to bring here or refuse to do, and this is about government issues.
I might say that American have achieved many things because they are positive people, they do not give up, and they will do whatever they can do to get what they want, and you can see this in wars, deals with another countries, and moreover now they control the world…and how I knew that, well when the crisis started, because if they were bad we were bad too, and it affected many places around the world, it dragged us. I define American with a simply word “CONQUERORS”.
Time and its control.
I like American’s reliability, and this is one of the values that I am trying to reach as Costa Rican, since now I am more aware that not every thing is about money, but your time and others’ time is very important and of course how you use it, and take advantage every time you do not waste time, and also sometimes the word “time” can turn into “money”, I think that this is one value that calls my attention.
According to the reading the term of “Equality” for Americans is that we all are alike, but I do not see them treating people like this, may be they only see alike themselves as American, but not the rest of the world or foreigners, nonetheless, if I am right some of them like to help poor people sometimes, but for me it does not mean that they see us alike, sometimes is because they are good people, sometimes because they want something else (benefit, deal, knowledge etc), I might say that I am based the way they manage commercial deals, and wars for example.
Now, Individualism, independence, and privacy are values that I agreed with, I admired them because time for yourself is always necessary to meditate about your things, and make plans, this makes you more self-confidence, and here in our country we tend to prefer being with some else most of the time.
However, Individualism or “ be unique, different from others, or whatever it is” I might say that I feel like that even though I am not American, I am proud of my culture, I love it, I act the way I am, I use Costa Rican sayings, an expression, I have my own ideas, I have a unique way and meanings to communicate, I feel different from other because everyone is different, I do not want to be or copy any other culture even though people in Costa Rica tend to copy o do things like Americans.
Self help/initiative is very important, and in U.S.A.if is necessary, journalist, media or a show will give you a space to give you a credit, to mention your goal, or accomplishment, on the other hand, here in Costa Rica they do not see that as important, the country will not give you support or an award even though you made something for your country.
Competition
Americans’ competition value is seen in most of their activities, and they foster themselves to do the best every time they have to do or perform something, one example of that is that most of the time they have people who represent them in many sports’ disciplines, and their performance shows the effort they do to win, they try so hard, in addition I believe that “competition” is linked to the strong feeling of love they have for their country.
Future orientation:
I do believe that if someone tries hard to achieve a goal, he or she might or might not accomplish it, of course that person’s effort to get it worth, but in my opinion there are things, events, and facts that you could not change since they are a thing of destiny, even God’s plans for you.
Action/work orientation
I think that a person should live to work and not work to live, so even though work and profession life style is very important part of a person life, is not his/her reason to have a perfect world. Life is experiences, is to have time to see your family, and is to have time to spend the money you earned.
Some Latin American people go to U.S.A to earn more money, but once they get there they realize that to obtain that sometimes they must keep working in two jobs, so it would be better to stay here with two jobs, but close to your family.
Informality
Americans informality is very nice, I like the fact that they do not worried about how they look every time they go to an event, here in our country everybody is going to talk about your clothes when you attend to a party, you have to be worried about what clothes you should wear for every occasion, if someone is going to hire you or not just because your clothes, hair etc.
Directness/ Openness/ Honesty
About this value I might say that we do not practice that in Costa Rica, Ticos always feel afraid to say things face to face or in front of other, we go like “take it easy” ; I hate this word and this attitude. I admired Americans’ honesty when they have to say something that may be is not what the others want to hear, I agree with this attitude, I think that is the best way to solve problems and be clear.
Practically/ efficiency
Practically is another thing that I like, for example here in Costa Rica we tend to ask for document, papers, sign and a lot of requirement to get a service, even though they won’t be necessary, or those would be throw out, long lines at the bank, many questions, many answers…so, Americans do everything more practical, for example arrange thing through e mail, video conference, phone call, fax, codes, express services etc.
Materialism/ acquisitiveness
Americans like to acquire all these kind of devices like: television, dvd, more than two cars, laptop, an expensive camera etc, because they want to make their life easier, also because they buy the product they make, I think that this is good, because in our country we tend to refuse to get something that says “made in Costa Rica”.
Finally, I think that we should take others’ culture values that are going to do our life better like “do not waste time”, but also I would like to emphasize in the fact that we should accept our culture, we should practice it, and that we should love our country. I do believe that in Costa Rica we are losing our identity trying to avoid Costa Rican customs and culture, and trying to be like someone else, so we should be proud of our country.