The Values Americans Live By by Robert Kohls Essay

The Values Americans Live By by Robert Kohls In the article The Values Americans Live By by Robert Kohls, he states in the very first paragraph, â€Å"Most Americans would have a difficult time telling you, specifically, what the values are which Americans live by.† This statement is dead on when comparing America to almost any other country. In America there are so many different cultures because families from other countries are coming here in search of a better life. There is a very large diversity of cultures among Americans today. This makes it virtually impossible to have a definitive culture known as American culture. Most families come here to live but essentially still follow many of their cultures from their homeland although even†¦show more content†¦On page three he states, â€Å"Americans resist being thought of as representatives of a homogenous group, whatever the group.† This angers me mostly because of the truth of its meaning. While many people claim they are different from everyone else in reality they are just like everyone they are hanging out with and the people they are drawn to. First, a person can tell what type of group another person is in just by looking at the clothes they wear or the music they listen to. Their viewpoints are often very similar because they are exposing themselves to the same exact thing all the time. Yet most people are always claiming they are different, believing their ideas are better when their ideas are the same. I work in an area where every kid wears the same clothes, has the same haircut, and same interests but claims they are different from everyone else. Kohls hits it dead on when he says â€Å"Americans credit themselves with more individualism then they really have.† nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;As an American I disagree with Kohls value of Informality. He makes it seem as everything we do in America is informal. I don’t ever remember even thinking about blue jeans to even the slightest semi-formal event. I think a lot of people feel out of place if they do not wear proper attire to certain events. Many restaurants have dress codes nowadays. I have even been to a driving range where you had to wear atShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald And The Sun Also Rises1061 Words   |  5 Pagesfundamental American attitudes and encompasses a wide array of desires, such as those for power, wealth, and excess. As outlined in L. Robert Kohls’ piece â€Å"The Values Americans Live By,† the value of materialism is used in The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, to illustrate how collecting or consuming an excess is used in attempts to stave off regret. 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