Americanculture

　　ThemaincontentofAmericancultureistheemphasizeonindividuals'value,thepursueofdemocracyandfreedom,thepromotionofdeploitation(开拓,经营)andcompetitionandtheneedofrealisticandpracticality.Itscoreisindividualism:selffirst,personalneedfirst,pursueofindividualbenefitandenjoyment,emphasizeonachievingindividualvaluebyself-striveandself-design.Thistypeofintentionallybuildupofpersonalityandpursuecustomizedindividualismhasitsprosandcons,itgivesincentivestopeopleandmakethemexertontheirpotentialandwisdomandasaresultacceleratethedevelopmentoftheentireraceandnation;ontheotherhanditisdifficulttokeepgoodrelationshipamongpeopleifeveryoneisegocentricthusmaketheentiresocietylackofunity.

　　egocentric:.自我中心的,利己主义的

　　Americancitizensemphasizeonachievementsandrespectheroes.Theyhavegreatsenseintheirheartstopraisesuccessandheroes.PersonalachievementsareoneofthosewiththehighestvalueinAmericansmind.Americanshaveverystrongsensesofsuccess.SuccessisthepursuitofmostAmericans,itistheirattractivefutureandtheincentivesformovingforward.Theybelievethatone'spersonalvalueisequivalenttohisachievementsinhiscareer.Somehighachieversintheircareersuchasentrepreneurs,scientists,artistsandallkindsofsuperstartsbecamemodernheroes.Theprocessandresultofhowtheystrivedhavebecometheframeofreferenceofsocialculturevalueandthereallifetextbookforparentstoeducatetheirchildren.

　　incentive:Servingtoinduceormotivate:

　　Americansocietyhasgreatmovementswithinitself.Thesemovementsareshownintwoaspects:movementsamongstlocationsandmovementsinsidethesociety.TheUnitedStatesarerelativelymoreopenandhavemorefreedom.DevelopedtransportandthetraditionofadventureandsportymakesalotofAmericanmigratefromcountrysidetocities,fromdowntowntouptown;andfromnorthtothesouthernsunnyland,fromonecitytoanother.UnlikeEuropeancountries,thesocialclassesinAmericaisnotsostable.Furthermore,withtheadvocationofpubliceducation,movementsupwardsalongthesocialladderhavebecomepossible.Manypeoplelivinginthestates,nomatterwhethertheyareNativeAmericanorimmigrantsfromoverseas,havethesamedreamofchangingtheirsocialclassandmaketheirlifetimedreamcometruethroughtheirownefforts.Thisiswhattheyoftencalled"Americandream".

　　advocation：(=advocacy)拥护；支持

　　美国文化的主要内容是强调个人价值,追求民主自由,崇尚开拓和竞争,讲求理性和实用,其核心是个人中心主义：个人至上、私欲至上、追求个人利益和个人享受,强调通过个人奋斗、个人自我设计,追求个人价值的最终实现.这种刻意塑造自我,追求个性化的个人主义有其积极的一面,也有消极的一面.它调动了个人的积极性,使许多人的智慧和潜力得以充分发挥,从而促进整个民族与国家的振兴和发展.然而,人人以我为中心,人际关系就难以融洽,整个社会也会缺乏凝聚力.

　　美国公众注重成就,仰慕英雄,有深厚的成就崇拜和英雄崇拜的心理积淀.个人成就是所有美国人价值观中评价最高的价值之一.美国人有很强的成就(或成功)意识.成功是所有美国人的追求,是诱人的前景,前进的动力.他们坚信,一个人的价值就等于他在事业上的成就.一些事业有成的企业家、科学家、艺术家和各类明星,成了新时代的英雄.他们个人奋斗的过程和结果,成了社会文化价值取向的参照系,父母教育子女的活教材.

　　美国是流动性很大的社会.这种流动体现在两个方面：地域性流动和社会性流动.美国相对的开放自由、发达的交通和冒险好动的传统使许多美国人从乡村流到城市,又从市中心流向郊区；从北方流到南方阳光地带,从一个城市流到另一个城市.美国社会阶级不像欧洲国家那样固定,加上公共教育的普及,使沿着社会阶梯向上流动成为可能.许多生活在美国的人,无论是土生土长的美国人,还是漂洋过海来到美国的外国移民,都有一个梦,即通过自己的努力,改变自己的社会地位,实现自己的人生梦想,这就是人们常津津乐道的“美国梦”.