Four years ago, my family migrated to America with views of America as a land of opportunity and Americans as an intellectual society with a high regard for formality and knowledge. Based on four years of living in America, I now think extremely different as opposed to my pre-migration beliefs. For example people, specifically children and teenagers, live their lives daily without regard for the use of profanity or colloquial language. Although Americans do possess positive qualities, negative qualities do largely account for the definition of an American. In relation to life status, Americans are: judgemental, workaholic, and ignorant.
Americans discriminate and judge one another, specifically when one does not conform to society’s norms. This becomes evident in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance. Emerson argues, “for nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure. The bystanders look askance on him in the public street or in the friend’s parlor” (366). Essentially, Emerson argues that Americans judge each other for possessing qualities not present in the social norms of society. Thus, Emerson’s statement exposes American behavior towards nonconformists due to their deviation from the norms of society. Also, Emerson emphasizes upon America’s common judgemental attitude towards those who choose to be individuals by …show more content…
This American quality reminds me of the topic of a conversation I accidentally overheard. Throughout the conversation, two girl discuss the workaholic behavior of one of the girls’ parents. The parents worked excessively in order to give the daughter a decent life. Unfortunately, the parents neglected their daughter as a result. The girl’s conversation exposed not only the workaholic behavior of Americans but also the costs of the desire for a worthy
Americans discriminate and judge one another, specifically when one does not conform to society’s norms. This becomes evident in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance. Emerson argues, “for nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure. The bystanders look askance on him in the public street or in the friend’s parlor” (366). Essentially, Emerson argues that Americans judge each other for possessing qualities not present in the social norms of society. Thus, Emerson’s statement exposes American behavior towards nonconformists due to their deviation from the norms of society. Also, Emerson emphasizes upon America’s common judgemental attitude towards those who choose to be individuals by …show more content…
This American quality reminds me of the topic of a conversation I accidentally overheard. Throughout the conversation, two girl discuss the workaholic behavior of one of the girls’ parents. The parents worked excessively in order to give the daughter a decent life. Unfortunately, the parents neglected their daughter as a result. The girl’s conversation exposed not only the workaholic behavior of Americans but also the costs of the desire for a worthy