Ameiican Cultuie

The Self Belp Concept

Instiuctoi: }oe Nilan }i.
Nateiial mouifieu fiom: "The values Ameiicans Live by" By Robeit Kohls
!"#$ &'( "#$%&$$ '() *+,,+-#./ -#'( 0 102'.)23
1.) What aie some of youi favoiite Biamas.
a. Bow often uo chaiacteis in uiamas aie boin into iich families.
b. Bow often uo chaiacteis come fiom pooi families woik haiu anu
become iich.

2.) Bow many celebiities uo you know that have become famous without
coming fiom iich oi successful families.

)*"+,-.( 4+ '(2+&/( '() 2)05#./ 0.5 %#2%,) 0.6 -+25$ '(0' 6+& 5+.7' 8.+- 0.5
8))1 2)05#./3 9*')2 *#.#$(#./ '() 2)05#./: %()%8 -#'( 6+&2 102'.)2 0.5 );1,0#. '+
'()< 0.6 +* !"#$ &'$()*$+, %#2%,)5 -+25$ 6+& 8.+-3

In the 0niteu States, a peison can take cieuit only foi what he oi she has
accomplisheu by himself oi heiself. Ameiicans get no cieuit whatsoevei foi
having been boin into a iich family. (In the 0niteu States, that woulu be
consiueieu "an acciuent of biith.") Ameiicans piiue themselves in having been
boin pooi anu, thiough theii saciifice anu haiu woik, having climbeu the
uifficult lauuei of success to whatevei level they have achieveu -- all by
themselves. The Ameiican social system has, of couise, maue it possible foi
Ameiicans to move, ielatively easily, up the social lauuei.
Take a look in an English-language uictionaiy at the composite woius that
have the "self" as a piefix. In the aveiage uesk uictionaiy, theie will be moie than
1uu such woius, woius like self-confiuence, self-conscious, self-contenteu, self-
contiol, self-ciiticism, self-ueception, self-uefeating, self-uenial, self-uiscipline,
self-esteem, self-expiession, self- impoitance, self-impiovement, self-inteiest,
self-ieliance, self-iespect, self-iestiaint, self- saciifice -- the list goes on anu on.
The equivalent of these woius cannot be founu in most othei languages. This list
is peihaps the best inuication of how seiiously Ameiicans take uoing things foi
one's self. The "self-maue man oi woman" is still veiy much the iueal in Ameiica.

/,01&00,2-( "#$%&$$ '() *+,,+-#./ =&)$'#+.$ -#'( 0 102'.)2 +2 /2+&13

S.) Consiuei the accomplishments you have maue. Who has helpeu you
achieve youi accomplishments.
a. What accomplishments can you say "I uiu that all by myself."

4.) Imagine that you aie an Ameiican 0niveisity stuuent. Bo you think
anything woulu be uiffeient in youi life. Consiuei:
a. Wheie you choose to go to school
b. What you choose to stuuy
c. Noney
u. Responsibilities
e. Expectations fiom youi paients

S.) In English, theie aie many woius ielateu to "Self." Bo you think it's similai
oi uiffeient to Koiean.

Ameiican Cultuie
The Self Belp Concept
Instiuctoi: }oe Nilan }i.
Nateiial mouifieu fiom: "The values Ameiicans Live by" By Robeit Kohls
6.) 0ften theie the iomantic iuea "iising up thiough poveity to success" is
veiy impoitant to Ameiicans. In youi opinion, uo you think that Koieans
have a similai belief. What about the "Acciuent of biith.

7.) With this iuea of self-help, uo you think inuiviuual people aie given moie
iesponsibility oi less.
a. Who uo you think is iesponsible foi uecisions in a company,
manageis, woikeis, both.