MATERIALISM/ACQUISITIVENESS

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 539.

PRACTICALITY AND EFFICIENCY

Practicality and efficiency are also hallmarks of the dominant culture. Unlike some Asian cultures, gift giving in the United States is usually kept within the limits appropriate to the giver's budget. In America garage sales are common and people are not embarrassed to buy used items. At a restaurant with a large group, people usually “go Dutch,” with everyone paying for their own meals. It is easy to see that individuality, independence, and self-reliance are central considerations in the pragmatic attitude evinced by Americans. Because strong group ties do not play a major role in U.S. societal activities, there is no need to build interpersonal relations based on a system of mutual obligations, as is done in many collectivistic cultures. The role of efficiency in America can also be seen in the highly structured use of time, discussed earlier. Americans also tend to be very rational or logical when working on problems. “Just give me the facts,” an often heard phrase in the U.S., illustrates the importance of objectivity when making a decision or a judgment. Reason takes precedence over emotionality, subjectivity, or sentimentality.

Acquiring material possessions has always been an integral part of life for most Americans. “Americans consider it almost a right to be materially well off and physically comfortable.”30 In fact, Americans consider their materialistic nature “natural and proper” [31]. From Bender's perspective, U.S. materialism is a natural outgrowth of the nation's philosophy of equal opportunity for all [32]. However, Americans have historically been willing to work hard to realize their dreams. Thus, the acquisition of material possessions, such as a large home, a variety of clothes for every occasion, convenient personal transportation, and a large selection of foods, is considered just reward for hard work. The American preference for a large selection of material items to choose from is clearly illustrated in your typical supermarket, which carries over 48,000 items [33], and the number of sandwich and condiment choices available at Subway©.