1. A MERICAN V ALUES Chapter 3, Section 1

2. T RADITIONAL A MERICAN V ALUES In his 1965 study, American Society, sociologist Robin Williams identified 12 core American values. Since then, the composition of the United States and its culture have changed greatly– are these 12 values still central? Williams released an additional 3 in 1975.

3. F IRST 4 V ALUES Personal Achievement  getting ahead in areas of your life; outdoing others. Individualism  strength of the individual; individual efforts to persevere. Work  work hard and keep yourself busy. Humanitarianism  helping others when help is needed.

4. S ECOND 4 V ALUES Efficiency and Practicality  getting things done without waste; complete tasks quickly. Progress  continually adapt and make things ‘better’. Material Comfort  having enough of certain items (housing, healthcare, food) to be ‘comfortable’. Science and rationality  using scientific techniques to make the world we live in better.

5. L AST 4 V ALUES Equality  equality of opportunity in all facets of life. Democracy  right to express opinion; majority rule mindset Freedom  few limits on personal freedom. Racial and group superiority  the belief that certain groups are superior to others.

6. A DDITIONAL V ALUES These three additional values were added in Williams’ revised list in 1975. Education  self-betterment through education; go as far in school as abilities and finances allow. Religiosity  everyone should acknowledge some higher power Romantic love  love is important; forms the basis of marriages.

7. C HANGING V ALUES Values, like other aspects of a society, are dynamic and change over time. Other values that have been suggested through the years include: leisure, youthfulness, environmentalism, etc. These all fall under an individual’s desire for self-fulfillment= commitment to development of one’s personality, talents and potential.

8. I S S ELF -F ULFILLMENT A GOOD THING ? We see the desire for self-fulfillment in things like self-help books, shows, diets, etc. Is this a good thing? Christopher Lasch saw the desire to be one’s best as a personality disorder. He termed it narcissism = extreme self- centeredness. When you get caught up in yourself, you forget the greater society.