Thereisapopularsaying,“youarewhatyoueat,”andalthoughtheremaybesometruthisthat,intheUnitedStatesamoreappropriatesayingis“youarewhatyoudo.”Inthatcountryanindividualisoftenjudgedbywhatheorshedoesforaliving.Andthemoretheydoit,thebetter!

　　Atsocialandprofessionalgatheringsitisnotunusualforaguesttofindhim-orherselfinthemidstofmanystrangers,andpeopleareexpectedtointroducethemselvesadtostrikeupconversations.The“howdoyoudo?”isoftenfollowedby“whatdoyoudo?”

　　IntheUnitedStatespeopletrytoprovetheirworthashumanbeingsthroughtheirachievements.Aperson’sjobprovidesself-identificationmorethanhisorherfamilynameorbackground.Theyencourageandstandinaweoftheself-madepersonwhohasgonefromragstoriches,thepersonwhohas“madeit.”Notonthebasisoffamilynamebutbyhisorherownefforts.IntheUnitedStatesthereisabeliefthatpeoplearerewardedforworking,producingandachieving.Manypeoplebelievethatthereisequalityofopportunitythatslowsanyonetobecomesuccessful.Therearesomepeoplewhodosuccessesinraisingtheireconomicandsociallevels.“Upward(occupational)mobility”or“climbingtheladder”aretermsthatrefertoone’sadvancementinwork.Manyemployeeshaveasuccessionofjobsthatconstituteacareer.Somebusiness,organizations,governmentagencies,andfirmsprovideemployeeswithopportunitiestoprogresstohigherpositions.Promotionsandincreasedresponsibilitygenerallybringhighersalaries.Rewardsforachievementinworkarepersonalaswellasfinancial.Thereisincreasedsatisfactionwhenemployeeshavetheopportunitytodevelopcreativeandintellectualskills.Gainingrecognitionfromfellowworkers,supervisors,andmanagersgivesoneasenseofimportanceandidentityinsociety.Thesevalueshelpproducemanyworkaholics—peoplewhoareaddictedtotheirwork—butthisisnotsaythatAmericansdon’tenjoytheirleisuretime.Theydo,buttheyusuallykeepleisureseparatefromwork.Mostofthemliketoworkhardandplayhard.

　　Suchanachievement-orientedsocietyisboundtoproduceplentyofcompetition,becauseitisonlybycompetingwithothersforthesliceofthepiethatpeoplewinsuccess.Thenegativeeffectsofacompetitivesocietycanbeseenintheiroftenstrainedinterpersonalrelations.Thesearisebecauseinanycompetitivesituation,someonehastolose.ForeveryAmericanwhofitsthismold,youcanfindonewhodoesn’t.NotallAmericansfitintothemainstream;someremainoutsidebychoiceandothersbecauseofcircumstancebeyondtheircontrol.Foreverypersonwhodoesliketowork,youcanfindonewhodoesn’t.EachtypecontributestothediversityofAmericanculture.

　　Insomenationsitisconsidereddisloyaltoquitajob;deepreciprocalloyaltiesexistbetweenemployeeandemployer.Lifelongjobsecurityandfamilyhonorarefrequentlyinvolved.ThisisnottrueintheUnitedStates.“Jobhopping”ispartoftheconstantmobility.Americansconsiderita“right”tobeabletobetterthemselves,tomoveupward,tojumpfromcompanytocompanyiftheycankeepqualifyingformostresponsible(andthereforebetter)jobs.

　　Theemployermaybequitecontenttoo.Perhapshehashadthebestofthatman’sthinking;anewpersonmaybringinfreshideals,improvedskills,ornewabilities.Then,too,anewcomerwillprobablystartatalowsalaryforhewillhavenosen