The Growth Of American Individuality - 1721 Words

The Growth of American Individuality in Relation to Self-Expression Religion is an imperfect savior. Primitive civilizations depended on religion to explain the workings of the world; they depended on gods to protect their crops and homes from disease, drought, and other disasters far out of human control. While this dependency provided comfort, it sacrificed individuality. Recent years has seen the rise of alternative forms of media: novels, digital music, movies. These were not available to previous civilizations. Early Americans only had access to the Bible, which was unreadable to the average illiterate. Newer forms of media have spurned a nation-wide reflection on the old traditions that were largely set by religion. Ever since the founding of the colonies, and ever since more diverse forms of self-expression have become more accessible, Americans have grown in individuality as they have become less dependent on religion. The Puritans were the first of the Europeans to settle in the Americas. While their traditions have left a profound mark on American culture, their strict ways are rather peculiar. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller critiques Puritan society as close-minded and obsessed about maintaining conformity. â€Å"The parochial snobbery of these people was partly responsible for their failure to convert the Indians. Probably they also preferred to take land from heathens rather than from fellow Christians† (140). The Puritans revolved their culture around religion,Show MoreRelated The Problems of Individuallity and Conformity Within a Society1688 Words   |  7 Pageswhere people come to be free from persecution and express their thoughts and opinions. This founding principle led American society to pull away from conformity and pushes for individuality. Many family TV shows and several media outlets propagate individuality as a source of pride and evidence of personal growth. In the American society, children are taught at a young age that in dividuality creates personality. However, as an individual grows, they are forced to choice sides on issues, thus placing themRead MoreIndividuality Vs Conformity Essay1605 Words   |  7 Pagesbetter, for worse, as his portion.† As human beings, we always encounter the critical decision in our daily lives of whether to pursue individuality or conformity in various situations. Although I believe that individuality is certainly more powerful than conformity, I noticed that many ignore the necessity of harmony between individualism and conformity. If individuality is absolutely more powerful to the point that we should never accept conformity, then should we avoid conforming to the laws of ourRead MoreHistorical Background of The Color Purple, I know why the caged bird sings, and The Awakening1383 Words   |  6 Pages This crushes their self-confidences and hampers their growth as an individual. In the case of Edna Pontellier, it is society that holds her growth in check beca use it frowns upon women who are not subservient to their husband. In every novel, a close companion helps the leading ladies on their way to independence. In â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† it is a female character, Mrs. Bertha Flowers, helps promote the shy Maya’s individuality. It is a similar case in â€Å"The Awakening†, in which anotherRead MoreAnalysis Of `` On Self Respect `` By Joan Didion1077 Words   |  5 Pagesof self-respect and the honesty we have for ourselves. Richard Rodriguez, in his essay â€Å" Aria- A Memoir of A Bilingual Childhood†, also explores the relationship between individual and public. However, the lost of private individuality may,in some way, be the growth of a bilingual child. â€Å"Spanish seemed to me the language of home. It became the language of joyful return.† As a young child, Rodriguez found safety and comfort in his Spanish-speaking family which provided him with love and securityRead MoreErikson s Theory Of Lifespan1471 Words   |  6 Pagesdemonstrated through certainty about sex roles, an active interest in the opposite sex, while unsuccessful resolution is represented in doubts of identity and lack of confidence (Erikson handout, 2017.) However, not everyone fits into a â€Å"mainstream† individuality, neglecting them from inclusion in the theory at this stage. For these individuals, it may cause conflict within the stage and a different representation in their lifespan. Women, for example, would have a different development at this stage thanRead MoreThe Current Value Of America1431 Words   |  6 PagesThe current value that America holds on to the closest is individualism. According to a study conducted by Pew Global, â€Å"nearly six-in-ten (58%) Americans believe it is more important for everyone to be free to pursue their life’s goals without interference from the state† (â€Å"The American-Western European†, 21). This number is quite high compared to other countries, such as Britain with 38% and Germany with 26%, and attributes to our nation’s ideology. America was founded to be independent and freeRead MoreThe Human Relations Approach Leaves Room For Creativity And Entrepreneurship912 Words   |  4 Pagesenvironment, often there is no room for personal growth, or socio-psychological development. Mas low defined self-actualization as â€Å"to become that which one is capable of becoming or the realization of one’s potentialities† (Bryman, 1976). In a classically managed environment, formal organization structure prohibits the attainment of self-actualization by design (Bryman, 1976). In the classically structured organization, the human element is lost as individuality is sacrificed for specialized efficiencyRead MoreIndian Assimilation from early 1800 - late 1900 Essay1172 Words   |  5 Pageswere fighting for dominance in the U.S., the American government developed a plan to eradicate the First Nations’ roots, buying into the philosophy of Captain Richard H. Pratt when he stated that instead of killing all the Natives it would be of more use to â€Å"kill the Indian, and save the man† (â€Å"Kill†). Between the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the United States government used boarding schools to try to assimilate Native Americ ans into modern American culture; however, these plans only alienatedRead MoreExamination of the Education System in Idiot Nation, by Michael Moore 1351 Words   |  5 PagesIn his essay, â€Å"Idiot Nation,† Michael Moore directly conveys the horrid truth behind American education when he utters the sheer words, â€Å"the knowledge (students) acquire in school is not going to serve them throughout their lifetimes. Many of them will have four to five careers in a lifetime. It will be their ability to navigate information that will matter† (Moore 141). According to Moore, American education today is by no means preparing students for the real world of work. In fact, he infers thatRead MoreJean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke: Their Relevance for American Society 1811 Words   |  7 Pagesboth John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, differ in their relevance for American Society; Locke appears to possess notions that are more relevant and realistic for society today, how ever, he does tend to place a little to much emphasis on individuality which is why Rousseau’s thoughts are necessary to invigorate democracy. Between Locke and Rousseau, Locke proves to have thoughts that are more relevant for contemporary American society, specifically his views on an individual’s freedom and the notion