Introduction
As a nation of immigrants, the United States has been influenced by many cultures, including different customs and traditions in religion, art, food, and more. The United States is often defined as a “melting pot” into which various nations have contributed their own flavor or taste, forming one great American culture (Marsden 2022, p. 54). As cultures worldwide have influenced the United States, American culture now affects the rest of the world. Thus, it is essential to describe American culture for non-ethnic Americans.
Customs and Ideas
It is important to note that in the United States, people have freedom of opinion and formulate their own behavior style. The country does not have one official language, although 31 out of 50 states have granted this status to English. More than 90% of the U.S. population speaks and understands English, and most official business is conducted in this language, while almost all languages of the world can be heard in the United States (Marsden 2022, p. 54).
Each region of the United States, particularly the South, has its own pronunciation, using unique words and phrases that indicate the importance of the languages in the area. Moreover, almost all known religions are practiced in the United States because the country was founded on religious freedom, which stimulates the independent behavior of citizens. Moreover, driving on the right side of the road is a custom enshrined by the U.S., even in the law (Ferris and Stein 2022). Thus, in the U.S., people adhere to tired customs, although they also respect ideas of innovation and freedom.
Behavior
Meanwhile, Americans have conservative behavior and use a system of gestures to signal to others that their boundaries have been violated. Americans devote significant attention to gestures intended to demonstrate approval or disapproval of the behavior of others. For example, the thumbs-up is one of the most popular gestures (Ferris and Stein 2022). As in other countries, the gesture means that Americans approve of certain behaviors, but if an American throws the thumb up abruptly, it means negative emotions such as dissatisfaction with the actions of others. Furthermore, Americans will change certain words or coin new ones, such as “hacky-sack kids” (Marsden 2022, p. 76). Accordingly, this indicates they are attempting to make the communication process casual and comfortable.
Values
American values are the ideas and practices that are important to people in the United States and that they hold. Americans appreciate the ability to live with limited government interference and control. This sense of independence motivates the emphasis on self-determination, and Americans take great pride in their self-sufficiency and ability to support themselves.
As an example of independence and self-sufficiency, American children tend to leave their parents’ homes early (Marsden 2022). After high school, many teenagers leave to go to college or start working. The following significant value in the United States is individualism, which means the possibility to perform actions that do not violate the rights of other individuals (Ferris and Stein 2022). Americans like to express their opinions and do not feel obliged to agree with others.
Conclusion
In summary, American culture is based on fundamental concepts such as values, behaviors, ideas, and customs. Moreover, they have special views on these concepts, creating their unique culture. Accordingly, the idea of not introducing a single language or religious freedom is characteristic of Americans. Different accents and pronunciations of words in the states and driving on the right side of the road are examples of the customs of people living in the United States. At the same time, they have a unique style of behavior, typified by restraint and the use of gestures, and their values are among the most developed in the world.
References
Ferris, Kerry, and Jill Stein. 2022. The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Marsden, George. 2022. Fundamentalism and American Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.