美国社会与文化Chapter-4-Social-Values

Chapter4SocialValuesCulturaldiversityVariousculturalregions:TheNewEnglandRegionPeople:EnglishpuritansTheepitomeofAmericantradition:hard-workingandfrugal-livingattitudeTheNewYorkMetropolitanRegionDiversifiedpopulationDynamic,fastpaceinlifePeopleareaggressiveandindividualistic,coldanddistant.TheSouthernRegionAristocraticheritagefromthepast,rigidsocialstructureStressonpersonalhonorandvalor,gracePeoplearehospitalandfriendly.ThePennsylvanianRegionKnownforitsreligioustoleranceandethnicdiversityTheMidwesternRegionisolationism,dominatingmiddle-classvalues,representativeofAmerica.TheMormonRegionUtahandsoutheastofIdahoTheMormonChurch,foundedbyJosephSmithin1830.Goodsocialorder,moralityandwelfaresystemPeoplearekind,friendly,gentle,hospitable,honest,easytogetalongwithandlaw-abiding.TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints(abbreviatedastheLDSChurch,commonlyreferredtoastheMormonChurch)isarestorationist

Christianchurch,andthelargestdenominationoriginatingfromtheLatterDaySaintmovementfoundedbyJosephSmith,Jr.FoundedinUpstateNewYorkin1830,thechurchisheadquarteredinSaltLakeCity,Utah,andhasestablishedcongregationsworldwide.AdherentsviewfaithinJesusChristasthecentraltenetoftheirreligion.LDSChurchtheologyincludestheChristiandoctrineofsalvationonlythroughJesusChrist.TheRockyMountainRegionPioneerspiritPeoplearetough,self-defensiveandcallous.ThePacificRegionFast-growingandhighly-developedeconomyPeoplearecommittedtofreedomanddemocracy.TraditionalSocialValuesIndividualfreedomSelf-relianceEqualityofopportunityCompetitionforsuccessHardworkMaterialwealthModernValuesTimeInformalityanddirectnessObligationandfriendshipExperimentandoptimismManandnatureHumanitarianismcooperationAmerican-theideal

libertyandequality

Immigrants----thedifferentbackgroundsormotivations----wereboundtogetherbysimilarbeliefs,unitedinthesamemission.Theirutopianidealwastohavethespaceandfreedomtocreateamodelsociety.Moralityandhardwordledtotheimprovementofmankindandthebettermentofsociety.EqualityofOpportunity自由女神像(TheStatueofLiberty)Allmenarecreatedequal——regardlessofrace,religion,orbackground,everyindividualshouldbeprovidedwithequalopportunitytosucceed.Levelstheplayingfield(消除差别，使平等)e.g.itseducationalsystemflexibleandaccessibletoall.自由女神像(TheStatueofLiberty)StatueofLibertywas

presentedto

France

in1876,

the100thanniversaryof

Americanindependence

gift.

自由女神像是法国在1876年赠送给美国独立100周年的礼物。

IdiditmywayTherighttocontrolyourowndestiny“thesqueakywheelgetsthegrease”(吱嘎作响的轮子有油涂)Theirgreatestadmirationisreservedforthoseiconicindividualwhohaveblazednewtrailsandthosewhohavemadeadifferencebystandingupfortheirbeliefs(MartinLutherKing)Teamspirit:GroupandTeamWhilefullycommittedtotheteam’sgoal,individualswillalsousegroupmembershiptoadvanceapersonalagenda“double-edgedsword”ofAmericanvaluesSelf-relianceAmericanvalueself-reliance“Godhelpsthosewhohelpthemselves”Amentalityof“self-help”inseekingsolutionstomodern-daychallenges.Americanparents:offeringtheirchildreneveryopportunitytoprepareforadulthoodElderlypeople:theywouldratherliveinaretirementcommunityornursinghomethanbecomedependentonfamilymembers.Vox

Populi

(人民之声，公众舆论)RootIncolonialAmerica,populism,localcitizensmetintownhallstodiscusscommunityissues.TodayMorepublicofficesareelectedpositions,andelectionsandreferendumsareheldmoreoftenthaninanyothercountryEgalitarianismAllmenarebornequalIsAmericaaclasslesssociety?---yesandno1.Socialstratificationdoesexist2.TheconceptofclassisentirelydifferentinAmerica(classisanacquiredstatus-apositionearnedthrougheffortandachievement.Itisnotdefinedbyaccent,affiliations,orgeography,butbymoneyandpower)Americareversesthosewhohaverisenfromhumblebeginningsandovercomeadversitytoachievesuccess.Presentorpauper,everyone’sexpectedtostandinlineandcleartheirtableatafast-foodrestaurant.WorkEthic

hardworkRootTheProtentantworkethicprovidedaclearandcompellingequationtoearlysetters:hardworkledtoamorallife,spiritualfulfillment,andGod’sblessingintheformofmaterialrewardshereonearth.Americansstillworkthreehundredhoursayearmorethanworkersinothercountries.Unlike“worktolive”cultures,Americansworkiscentralindefiningone’ssenseofidentityandself-worthWhyistherenoguiltattachedtoenjoyingthe“fruitsofone’slabors.”?GivingBackAsknotwhatyourcountrycandoforyou,askwhatyoucandoforyourcountry.——F.KennedyVolunteerorganizationWhatmotivationsthisconstantoutpouringofgenerosity?Americansgettoapplytheirskillsandenergy,“giveback”tothecommunity,andmakeadifference.Societyhasbeenself-supporting-notreliantongovernmenthandouts.Win-winpropositionforallGoodorEvilThesocietyismoralisticE.g.inEurope,abortionandgayrightsareregardedaspoliticalissues,intheU.S.A.theyaredefinedinmoralandethicalterms.ChangeisGoodRootItwasfoundbyaspecialbreedofadventurous,entrepreneurialtypeswhosoughtnewfrontierstoconquer.ChangeequalsprogressWithvision,energy,andperseverance,anythingcanbeaccomplished.ControlFreaksAmericansliketowrestleittothegroundandharnessitspowerfortheirownpersonaluse.Wind,sunandoceanwavesaretransformedintovaluableenergysources.State-of-the-art尖端科技Theydon’tbelievefatalisticcultures,theytake