Individualism in the american culture

Individiualism express the model in which society encourages individual

accomplishment and of lesser importance we find interpersonal relationship. A high degree of
individualism indicates that the emphasis is put on individualistic philosophy and individual
rights; between the members of the society there is a very weak level of interpersonal
communication.
The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a
society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether peoples self-image is defined
in terms of I or We. In Individualist societies people are only supposed to look after
themselves and their direct family. In Collectivist societies people belong to in groups that take
care of them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.
America was built on the social-political ideals of Individualism; the philosophy of selfreliance, in the face of peril, and in the name freedom. Our communities were forged by rugged
personalities, adventurers and entrepreneurs, determined to secure their freedoms in a new land,
far from the archaic ideas of statism that were popular throughout Europe. Indeed the Virginia
Company of London, which founded Jamestown in 1607, the first permanent new-world English
settlement, was an entirely entrepreneurial venture. The new world became a nation of nations,
including individuals from all over the world from an array of varied cultural and economic
backgrounds. America was the land of the big dreamer, where each man could claim fortune in
accordance to his efforts and will and keep what he produced, and where a single person could
enact real and immediate change in their lives to increase the quality of life within their
communities. Indeed, American Individualism is solidified in the creation of Americas
Declaration of Independence.
The United States can clearly been seen as individualistic (scoring a 91). The American
dream is clearly a representation of this. This is the Americans hope for a better quality of life
and a higher standard of living than their parents. This belief is that anyone, regardless of their
status can pull up their boot straps and raise themselves from poverty.

The fairly low score on Power Distance(40) in combination with one of the the
most individualistic (91) cultures in the world reflects itself in the following:
The American premise of liberty and justice for all. This is evidenced by an explicit
emphasis on equal rights in all aspects of American society and government.
Within American organisations, hierarchy is established for convenience, superiors
are accessible and managers rely on individual employees and teams for their expertise.
Both managers and employees expect to be consulted and information is shared
frequently. At the same time, communication is informal, direct and participative to a degree.
The society is loosely-knit in which the expectation is that people look after
themselves and their immediate families only and should not rely (too much) on authorities
for support.
There is also a high degree of geographical mobility in the United States. Americans
are the best joiners in the world; however it is often difficult, especially among men, to
develop deep friendships.

Americans are accustomed to doing business or interacting with people they dont
know well. Consequently, Americans are not shy about approaching their prospective
counterparts in order to obtain or seek information. In the business world, employees are
expected to be self-reliant and display initiative. Also, within the exchange-based world of
work we see that hiring, promotion and decisions are based on merit or evidence of what one
has done or can do.
Individualism is the one side versus its opposite, collectivism, that is the degree to which
individuals are integrated into groups. On the individualist side we find societies in which the
ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after him/herself and his/her
immediate family.
After the first World War, Individualism struggled under economic growth and security. A
lot of free time for Americans meant a sudden need to celebrate ourselves as morally worthy
individuals by spending money of material goods. Americans had heroes in both sports and on
the silver screen and we became intoxicated by the possibilities of ourselves. Powerful
organizations and corporations soon took notice and marketed heavily to the superfluous
gratifications of individuality. Low and behold: corporate-run America was born. A vicious cycle
began of conformist based society, where we are no longer celebrated for what we are capable of
accomplishing, but what we own and might own.
Today, Individualism has all but disappeared in the sense that it existed during the
conception of America. Individualism today offers no validation of self-worth or recognition of
achievement. Instead, it celebrates selfishness and fear of change. Most Americans have become
conformists, so much in the pursuit of short-term happiness and gratification, that we are willing
to endure corruption, degradation, and disenfranchisement, all at the hands of the corporations
we helped raise to power, whos economic influence decides the culture and morals of its
citizens.
The time for Individualism no longer belongs to the past; we must embrace it today. We
must not be afraid because we rely too much on our government, on corporations, on powerful
organizations, or any influence outside of ourselves, and are too afraid to take any action against
corruption that may jeopardize aspects of our jobs, lives, and security. As Americans we must
make big changes that might be scary, and different from what is comfortable or accepted,
because it is engrained in who we are as a Nation. America today is in need of a change, one that
breaks the power away from corporations and corrupt government and allows us to believe, once
again, that we have the power to succeed for ourselves. It may mean hard times or chaos, but
through it we will encounter some form of the sublime through our continued effort to perfect the
balance between freedom and unity.
The character of interpersonal relations (individualism/collectivism) is formed initially in
the family, its built outside of it and it reflects itself in the cultural and organizational behavior.
These relationships differ from one culture to another through three elements:
-

Intensity (dependence of society members of each other)

Range (number of persons with which one has intensive interactions)

Fundementals/Predetermination( the criteria throughout which arguments or disputes are

resolved)

In conclusion, to what I said in the beginning: that the fundamental attitude of true
individualism is one of humility toward the processes by which mankind has achieved things
which have not been designed or understood by any individual and are indeed greater than
individual minds. The great question at this moment is whether mans mind will be allowed to
continue to grow as part of this process or whether human reason is to place itself in chains of its
own making. What individualism teaches us is that society is greater than the individual only in
so far as it is free. In so far as it is controlled or directed, it is limited to the powers of the
individual minds which control or direct it. If the presumption of the modern mind, which will
not respect anything that is not consciously controlled by individual reason, does not learn in
time where to stop, we may, as Edmund Burke warned us, be well assured that everything about
us will dwindle by degrees, until at length our concerns are shrunk to the dimensions of our
minds.