COMPETITION AND FREE ENTERPRISE

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 529.

SELF-HELP CONTROL

The importance Americans place on self-help and personal achievement is an outgrowth of the values of independence, equality, and individuality, which are exemplified in commonly heard expressions such as “being self-reliant,” “stand on your own two feet,” or “don't depend on others.” In the United States, your family name or the school attended will normally only help you to get an initial introduction or interview. Any subsequent gain must be earned through personal merit. Theoretically, the concept of equality underlying U.S. societal organization provides everyone the same opportunity for material and social improvement. One just has to work for it. The opportunity to go from rags to riches remains a fundamental American belief and can actually be seen in the political careers of Presidents Clinton and Obama. Both started from humble beginnings and went on to ultimately sit in the Oval Office. The nineteenth-century English poet William Henley succinctly captured this U.S. value of self-mastery when he wrote, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”

A positive attitude toward competition is an integral part of life in the United States and is taught from early childhood on. Whether it is through childhood games or being continually asked to answer questions in the classroom, a competitive nature is encouraged among American children. People are ranked, graded, classified, and evaluated so that everyone will know who the best is.

The media continually provides “Top 10” lists of people, schools, hospitals, movies, vacation locations, and endless others. The U.S. economic system - free market enterprise - is based on competition, and the U.S. government is constantly touting free and open markets. The assumption is that individuals, left to their own means, can more ably and quickly achieve their desired goals. Moreover, the system is considered “fair” because everyone has the same opportunity. This competitive spirit can create problems for Americans when they interact with people who do not share the value. For instance, in some cultures, a person's social and economic stature can be a product of family connections, schools attended, length of time with an organization, or even age. In these cultures, competition based on personal merit can be a secondary consideration. Additionally, cultures

that promote interdependency and cooperation take a negative view of intra-group competition.