Amerikansk kultur: individualisme og selvstændighed

“People should take care of themselves, solve their own problems, and stand on their own two feet”

The American people like to think of themselves as individuals, who can take care of themselves as independent people. There are several reasons to this mindset. The first settlers of America where Europeans, who were tired of the society in their own country where they had a lot of rules, and the government had too much power. In addition to this, a strong hierarchy appeared in the European countries at this point meaning that the aristocrats had a lot of influence and the poor people were often forgotten or ignored.

For these reasons, the European immigrated to the west. Here they had to make their own living and nobody would help them if they failed. That meant that they consequently had to secure and provide their own food, establish their own farms, and construct their own houses.

Freedom is an important feeling and concept in American society. As a result of all of the importance of self-independence and self-reliance, the Americans found pride in being able to do things on their own and being master of one’s destiny. When a feeling like this grows, it also becomes more or less unacceptable and looked down upon when an individual fails to be independent and ends up needing help from either the family or the government. If you are not independent in the States, you at least have to appear as though you are.