World We Dare to Imagine Part 1
Growing up in the United States I have always been able to see the difference in culture from someone who has lived here for a few generations. The American culture is very individualistic and competitive. As someone who has grown up with immigrant parents, this has always been a heavy contrast to my latino roots that lay in unity, loyalty, and support for family. Naturally I have had a combination of both cultures. I am an extremely competitive capitalist that believes in the pursuit of happiness, but I am also an extremely loyal family person that would rather starve with my people than be fed alone.
After reading Jacqueline Novogratz's, "The Blue Sweater," it made me happy to read about the unified communities around the world. I believe that unity is the true key to enduring difficult circumstances. Fighting an unbearable obstacle cannot compete with a unified support system.
The specific thought that the world is just like the US when it comes to capitalism was shattered when I went to Argentina in the summer of 2022. I was able to go to Buenos Aires with my older brother where we expected to be served with the same level of customer service as the United States (Customer service is a lot higher in the United States due to people being driven by tips). We were surprised to see that the Argentinian people did not care that we had money to spend (Due to the extreme inflation the Argentinian peso was almost worthless at the time) they treated everyone exactly the same. Their values laid a lot more in football and family (there was a taxi driver that said he would give his house for his football team). This was interesting to see firsthand and contrasted heavily with the US culture that values money over pretty much everything.
I think the difference between the US culture and other cultures around the world lies in the separation of cultures across the country. We are constantly looking at each other as different people when in reality we all share the same nationality and should be unified under it. To make the world a better place, and more specifically the United States, I believe that we should start seeing each other as comrades rather than opponents in a competition. We as United States citizens are only as good as our weakest link, therefore we should always strive to lift others up and help others rather than tear them down. That is the first step into making a more unified culture.
Hi Andrew, loved reading your post! I completely agree that we as a country should strive to lift others up and be unified together rather than tear each other down. Similar to your Latino culture, I come from an Italian background, and our culture is centered around community and love. And while the US has thrived because of its competitive nature, I think it's going to come back to haunt and disadvantage us compared to other nations. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrew, great post! It's fascinating to look at the contrast between America's culture of individualism vs the more collectivism focused cultures in other countries. Your time in Argentina sounds like an eye-opening experience, seeing how different cultures prioritize values like community over material wealth. I also thought you brought up a good point about the importance of unity, where despite our differences, we are all part of the same national community. Seeing each other as comrades rather than competitors can defiantly be a powerful step toward creating a more unified and better world.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrew, thank you for sharing your belief! Likewise, I had similar experience of comparing between individualism vs collectivism. I grew up in China and later Canada, which are both countries that are relatively more socialist than the U.S. While some countries definitely take collectivism to an extreme, some countries like the U.S might be at times too individualistic. I think it’s all about trying our best to find the balance, which can be really difficult! I think toxic competition/culture is a very interesting area that is so relevant in our daily lives. It would be really cool to do a deeper dive on what created this culture and how to mitigate the negative impact it has brought to our lifestyle and mindset.
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