Ameiican Cultuie

Change anu Futuie 0iientation

Instiuctoi: }oe Nilan
Nateiial mouifieu fiom: "The values Ameiicans Live by" By Robeit Kohls
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1.) When you ueciueu to attenu C0K, uiu you feel that it woulu be a bettei
expeiience than Bigh School.

2.) When you think about youi life aftei giauuation, uo you think it will be
bettei oi woise than now.

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In the Ameiican minu, change is seen as an inuisputably goou conuition.
Change is stiongly linkeu to uevelopment, impiovement, piogiess, anu giowth.
Nany oluei, moie tiauitional cultuies consiuei change as a uisiuptive,
uestiuctive foice, to be avoiueu if at all possible. Insteau of change, such societies
value stability, continuity, tiauition, anu a iich anu ancient heiitage -- none of
which aie valueu veiy much in the 0niteu States.
The two beliefs: the belief that we can uo anything anu the belief that any
change is goou, togethei with an Ameiican belief in the viitue of haiu woik anu
the belief that each inuiviuual has a iesponsibility to uo the best he oi she can uo
have helpeu Ameiicans achieve some gieat accomplishments. So whethei these
beliefs aie "tiue" is ieally iiielevant; what is impoitant is that Ameiicans have
consiueieu them to be tiue anu have acteu as if they weie, thus, in effect, causing
them to happen.

2,34&33,5- /

S.) When you think of Koiean Cultuie touay, uo you feel it's moie of a
"tiauitional cultuie" oi moie of a "change cultuie.
a. Can you give an example of each in youi cultuie, oi fiom othei
cultuies.

4.) What is youi opinion of change. Bo you feel that change is usually a goou
thing oi not. Consiuei these topics.
a. Euucation
b. Family
c. Bating
u. Woik

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valuing the futuie anu the impiovements Ameiicans aie suie the futuie
will biing, means that they uevalue the past anu aie, to a laige extent,
unconscious of the piesent. Even a happy piesent goes laigely unnoticeu
because, happy as it may be, Ameiicans have tiauitionally been hopeful that the
futuie woulu biing even gieatei happiness. Almost all eneigy is uiiecteu towaiu
iealizing that bettei futuie. At best, the piesent conuition is seen as piepaiatoiy
to a latei anu gieatei event, which will eventually culminate in something even
moie woithwhile.
Ameiican Cultuie
Change anu Futuie 0iientation
Instiuctoi: }oe Nilan
Nateiial mouifieu fiom: "The values Ameiicans Live by" By Robeit Kohls
Since Ameiicans have been taught (Peisonal Contiol ovei the
Enviionment) to believe that Nan, anu not Fate, can anu shoulu be the one who
contiols the enviionment, this has maue them veiy goou at planning anu
executing shoit-teim piojects (Time anu its contiol). This ability, in tuin, has
causeu Ameiicans to be inviteu to all coineis of the eaith to plan anu achieve the
miiacles which theii goal- setting can piouuce.

2,34&33,5- 6

S.) When you aie planning a pioject, oi stiategy foi getting goou giaues, oi
even youi life aftei giauuation, uo you wiite a list of goals. Whywhy not.
a. Bo you think this is helpful.

6.) "Ameiicans uon't value the past," means that Ameiicans believe that theii
futuie will be bettei than theii past. Bo you also believe this. Bow about
Koieans in geneial.

7.) When people aie focuseu so much on the futuie, uo you think they enjoy
theii piesent life.
a. Bo you think this is a pioblem.

8.) Bo any of the othei values we have stuuieu eailiei in this class, seem
ielateu to "Change" anu "Futuie 0iientation."