论美国文化价值观之对物质财富的追求
当谈到文化价值观时，我们会发现不同的国家都有其独特的价值观。美国也不例外，也有其独特的价值观。其中对物质财富的追求是其传统文化价值观之一。
本文从清教主义、社会和自然环境，以及实用主义哲学等几个方面对美国人追求物质财富这一传统价值观进行了分析，挖掘其渊源, 并从积极和消极两个方面探讨这一价值观对美国个人及整个国家的影响，并指出对物质财富的追求应建立在适度及取之有道的基础上。
关键词：文化价值观，美国人，物质财富, 影响
Introduction
To some extent, values mean the general and shared conceptions of what is good, right, appropriate, worthwhile, and important with regard to modes of conduct and states of existence. In other words, values are conceptions about how the world and people should be. And when refers to the cultural values in different nations, we can conclude that different country has its own unique cultural values. As the formation of a country’s cultural values are affected by many factors, such as history, religion, natural environment, economy, politics and so on.
人琴俱亡翻译
A country’s cultural values experience a long historical process.Life mode, behavior mode and thinking mode of generation after generation all relate to their own distinctive national cultural values. That’s to say, a country's cultural values inevitably affect its people as well as the whole nation.
我需要你的爱The United States, like any other countries, has its national cultural values. But compared with other countries in the world, the United States is a quite special one. In the specific historical background and broad natural environment of North America, some unique American cultural values had come into being gradually.
The basic American traditional cultural values are individualism, equality of
opportunity, competition and desire for success, pursuit material wealth, hard-working spirit and so on. Many Americans still believe in them and are strongly affected by them. It is easier to understand what Americans are thinking and feeling if we can understand what the basic traditional American values are and how they have influenced almost every facet of life in the United States.Whatever the ca, among all the values, pursuit of material wealth is a very important one. Many of the values mentioned above are in one way or another related to the notion of pursuit of material wealth. Indeed, in many ways, the desire for material wealth rves as a driving force for individuals to work
hard, to keep an upbeat spirit, so as to be more competitive, and to obtain more material goods to demonstrate the worth of life.
In this paper, the author will analyze the pursuit of material wealth. The contents include analysis the cultural origins of American values—pursuit of material wealth, the influences of this value on American people’s life and the whole nation and the conclusion.
The Origins of Desire for Material Wealth
debugging1.1 The Influence of Puritanism
At the beginning of 17th century, the first ttlers landed on the New Land not only for the religious freedom but also for wealth. From then on, the Puritans began to influence the whole land and Puritanism was the mainstream of the colonial culture and has greatly influenced the Puritan colonies in North America, and then the whole country. It was an important factor in the cour of forming of American culture and American spirit. Its theory of wealth has deeply influenced the attitudes of Americans towards wealth.
兰迪英语如何The Puritans insisted that all individuals are left alone before God to improve them or suffer eternal p
unishment by God for their sinful acts. So Protestantism encourages a strong and restless desire for lf-improvement. And the achievement of material success is probably the most widely respected form of lf-improvement. So desire for material wealth in American culture has clo relationship with Puritanism
通信工程考研believed by initial immigrants. Although the immigrants with different aims, in order to exist, they must posss material wealth as much as they could. Protestantism distinguished itlf from Roman Catholicism with pragmatic spirit.It doesn't agree on afterlife concept of Catholicism and argues that protestant’s devoutness should be expresd in earthliness’ activities. So Protestants regard success in earthliness as what is saved from God. Wealth is God's re ward to the diligent and poverty is God’s punishment to the lazy. The Puritans believed that people who are blesd by God might be recognized in the world by their material success. The Puritan’s attitude towards the wealth exists in the American society all the time. It becomes the motivation for people to pursuit wealth.It is the theory of wealth in Protestantism that makes immigrants in North America even their descendent insist on pursuing substantial wealth.And material wealth has traditionally been a widely accepted as the measure of success and social status in the United States.
1.2 Unique Social and Natural Environment
The United States is a country t up by European immigrants on the ba of mature western culture. The 17th century is the rising time of European capitalism. The early ttlers from European also carried the eds of capitalism when they landed on the North American. And it grew well in the North American quickly. The development of capitalism influenced the Americans’values, especially desire for wealth. As profit is the life for capitalists. But there existed great differences between American capitalism and European. For Americans rejected the European system of hereditary aristocracy and titles of nobility.
In the early years, many immigrants cho to leave the older European societies becau they believed that they have a better chance succeed in America. In “the old country”, their place in life was determined largely by social class into which they were born. The lower class had to live among noble families who possd great power and wealth inherited and accumulated over hundreds of years. So it’s difficult for the lower class to pursuit material wealth and changes their position though they worked hard. There were not hereditary aristocracy and formal class system in the New Land. In the North American, the quality and quantity of an individual’s material
posssions became an accepted measure of success and social status.
Meanwhile, special natural environment of North America continent has provided fine earth for Americans to pursuit material wealth. Broad and fertile land and abundant natural resources prepare ascendant conditions for immigrants' production. Along with the development of capitalism, desire for material wealth is more and more deeply rooted in North America.
In the historical background and broad natural environment of North America, the pursuit of material wealth becomes one of the most remarkable cultural values. This concept grew in particular American social and geographic environment. Under American conditions, swiftly and clearly, there developed a hunger for wealth. In America, making money has dignity.
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1.3 Pragmatic Spirit
人脉圈The pragmatism is the most important philosophical concept in the United States. And this philosophy has great influence on the Americans, first along America’s frontiers, and later through its remarkable industrial growth.
Americans are famous for their practicality. This is a tradition formed in the initial immigrants' experience of conquering the wild. For the early ttlers, though the New Land has broad and fertile land and abundant natural resources, nature bestowed on them a difficult rather than comfortable en
vironment. In order to exist they had to make full u of the pragmatic spirit to struggle with the wildness. They often had to construct their own hous, hunted, and houhold items. In the history of frontier exploitation, the people without efficiency and practicality were often despid by other people. Thus directly expressing one's own view and completing one's own business are the basic principle insisted by most Americans.
Whatever to say, the key esnce of the pragmatism is emphasis on the final results. It’s no doubt that posssion material wealth is always treated as the standard for judging the results. The Americans always pay more attention to the things which they could snatch and can calculate by money. Many Americans put material gains above justice in daily life. American leaders also keep a pragmatic attitude and their administrative achievements are urged by actual profit brought to citizens by them. So
Pragmatic Spirit also plays an important role in the formation of desire for wealth.
The V alue’s Influences on Individualists and the Nation Indeed, in a country, like the United States, where class status being unfixed, the country has for a long time encouraged the notion of identifying one’s social status through his achievements rather than through hereditary device. To the ditto
extent that posssion of wealth is a prerequisite for survival. The lor is likely to be thrown to the bottom of society. So it’s not difficult to understand why Americans are keen to pursuit material wealth.去 取
We can’t deny that the pursuit of material wealth has produced many positive results. For example, it pushes Americans to ek for the best, it compels Americans to be original, it energizes Americans to move ahead, and it gives freshness and vitality to the American society. Objectively, the desire for wealth as a cultural value has helped the United States to develop its economy and industry. The immen joy one can derive from his achievements, and the expectation of social appreciation and recognition for what one may accomplish, all stem from the strong desire for wealth.
However, it’s very difficult for people to keep pursuit of wealth in a proper degree. And placing a high value on material posssions is called materialism. If they place this value above all el, troubles even tragedies may occur.
One negative conquence is to make personal relationship ten when everyone is trying to crush out his opponents in order to achieve his own success. Another one is to build a heavy psychological burden on the part of tho who are inflamed with the desire for wealth. And finally, it tends to develo
p two kinds of indifference: indifference to the prervation of natural resources, and indifference to tho who fall behind in the race for survival.
reactIt’s no doubt that the cultural values inevitably affect a country’s policies, including foreign policies. The value of pursuit of material wealth is not an exception. It gradually melted in American culture and became an important character of American nation. It even developed into an embodiment of American national culture
