American Values and Assumptions

by Gary Althen

Individualism.

One of the peculiarities of Americans, which make them different from the rest of the world - that's their devotion to individualism. According to the G. Althen's "American Values and Assumptions", americans are trained from very early in their lives to consider themselves as separate individuals who are responsible for their own sitations in life and their own destinies; they're not trained to see themselves as members of a close-knit interdependent family, religious group, tribe, nation, or any other collectivity. The famous book of the Dr. Benjamin Spock "Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care", to which millions of American parents have long turned for information and advice on raising their children also asserts that: "In the United States... very few children are raised to believe their personal destiny is to serve their family, their country, their God. Generally children are given the feeling that they can set their own aims and occupation in life, according to their inclinations." (1998; p. 7)

Sunday in the park

We've read an interesting story, happened to an average class american family. Author's main message was describing complicated relations between husband and wife. About casual problems which any family can have nowadays. About the way we use to solve these problems. About the different reactions of wife and husband on the same situation. About the unjustified expectations.
As an example, author used a simple situation, which anyone can get in. The intellegent middle-aged family - father-professor, mother and 3-years old child - had a picnic in the park, when they faced a rude and very unpolite man, who generally was bothering them to have a rest and was the reason why they left. The father-professor didn't start to argue or fight with him, because of fear to break glasses, to lose teeth or whatever else. Wife, didn't showed any reaction, even she expected her husband to protect their dignity, but when husband tried to kick their son to discipline him, she just expressed her feeling by repeating the humiliating words of that rude man.
So, my opinion is that the husband and the head of the family, who loves and respects his family never suppose to act like Morton did. Especially, the moment, when he tried to justified himself to his wife! In my opinion, that was the most unacceptable things he made and unexpectable for his wife. As a result, she was really upset in her husband.

Qualifying for world cup

So, right now it's 10 am in los angeles and i still don't have any idea about what is the result of the match between national teams of Kazakhatan and England. Game is going to finish in 10 min.
And, they playing at the Wambley Stadium(!). And, coach of the english team is Fabio Cappelo...
U know whom i am talking about, right?
Plus, our coach - Arno Papers (here u suppose say "who is he?") - have been fired around 2 weeks ago.
What does it tells us about?
That it is very reasonable that we (our national team) have a 1 to 36 chances to win in that match. (coefficent from the www.betandwin.com).
And i am, like a soccer fan and patriot of our nation very sad that things are going in such way.
What can we do?
Nothing. Except waiting the better times and changes in our soccer federation.
Even i am pretty sure that we gonna loose cause of certain factors, reasons and etc.,
anyway there is a kind of little hope deep in my soul, like what if...?
Sometimes you want to believe in miracles.
However, that's a time find out the final score.
So, will see.