ipl-logo

Individualism In America Essay

799 Words4 Pages

America’s identity is defined differently by every individual. Ideally it was to be a place of freedom and acceptance, identified by its message of liberty and hard-work, however the question arises whether America is a melting pot in which only one culture dominates or it a mosaic of many peoples’ histories. America’s potential and true identity lies within its ability to assimilate and create a natural individualism despite race, class, and immigration standing. A country as powerful and influential as America is within industry, politics, and socioeconomics cannot be abstract in definition. To hold this type of power, a nation must be united under a set of beliefs important to its people. America, created to represent a place of freedom …show more content…

Each response is influenced by individual race, gender, and ethnicity. Despite immigration’s necessity to this, Jacob G. Hornberger’s “Keep the Borders Open” in which he argues the case of keeping borders always open “for people traveling inside the United States but also for people traveling or moving to the United States” is not correct (Hornberger, Jacob G. 1). Having open borders prohibits unity and dissolves individual identity; it also breeds anarchy within a nation. There must be order within a country and allowing everyone into an area strains resources, while no security creates chaos and mass terror. With open borders and thus overpopulation, a country will be unable to uphold its beliefs and will fall to disparities within social class, old prejudices, and government corruption. However, immigration is important in the American identity. It brings new ideas, opportunities, and individualism to the country which allows it to evolve. Immigrants are part of America and their cultures should not be forgotten under American assimilation. Thus, through having primary standards, people are able to embrace their own culture and unify with others. Immigration provides America with a new identity, but having open borders staunches

Show More
Related
71 Words | 1 Pages

What makes the United States unique and great is not a pledge, a flag, or a song, all of which are more properly labeled culturally temporary symbols of patriotism. The United States is the summation of many ethnic, religious and political backgrounds. David Brooks’ reason for writing “One Nation, Slightly Divisible” included the goal of finding the underlying cause of the divide between the social and economic aspects of our society.

Read More
1269 Words | 6 Pages

“Melting pot” is a common term used to describe the culture of the United States, as the country blends the values and ideologies of an abundance of different groups of people and individuals. As a result, there are a variety of possible positions on what it truly means to be an American. Some may argue that American identity depends on ethnic origin, religious background, or other personal characteristics. Others might claim that being American depends on whether one believes in liberty, equality, individualism, and justice. Nevertheless, Dwight Okita and Sandra Cisneros demonstrate that some perceptions about American identity can induce more harm than others.

Read More
786 Words | 4 Pages

Individuality’s Role in Society Anthem is a dystopian novel written by Russian author Ayn Rand in 1937. Ayn Rand was avid about the importance of the individual, and she supported a hands off government, where the people define and sustain themselves. Ayn Rand’s interest in the government’s effect on society certainly led into her creation of Anthem. At the start of the novel, Equality 7-2521, the protagonist, writes from a secluded tunnel and shares about the dystopian society he lives in which prevents education, and individualism. The society prevents individuals from learning on their own, having questions, doubting their elders, and threatens any sort of rebellion or individuality with extreme punishment.

Read More
794 Words | 4 Pages

Today America prides itself on the themes sprinkled throughout the text. Many American citizens pride themselves on belonging to one of the most powerful and dominant

Read More
540 Words | 3 Pages

Written by Thomas Paine in 1791, the book “Rights of Man” soughts to describe the characteristics of America. Although he did include some accurate descriptions of America in his writing, considering the time the book was written and the fact that he was a revolutionary and a supporter of American independence, there are some descriptions that do not concur with the current-day America and some descriptions that are biased as well. Paine asserts that America is made up “of people from different nations, accustomed to different forms and habit of government, speaking different languages, and more different in their modes of worship,” and this assertion still holds true till this day. America fundamentally was, and still is, a melting pot of different people and culture (Paine).

Read More
993 Words | 4 Pages

We may be “one nation, under God” but, in my opinion, we will always be in an overstuffed pot that will never fully melt. Although the founding father’s opinion of America in Rights of Man is correct on the underlying facts of our country coming together as one nation, his characterization of America does not hold true today in modern society based on our current politics and social ideals. First, Thomas Paine claimed in his book, that the American government “is just.” In today’s society that is far from the truth. America’s political system thrives on corruption.

Read More
213 Words | 1 Pages

On October 21st at the noon lecture we had one of our freshmen year experience professors address the issue of immigration. Professor Daniel Malpica started the lecture by stating why immigration is important. He had gave us many reasons but the most important idea that I took from the list was how immigration has changed the face of the United States. It has been said that 13.5% of the United States’ population is made of up immigrants. Throughout the lecture we began to distinguish the differences and similarities between “Old” immigration and “New” immigration.

Read More
1167 Words | 5 Pages

America has always been known as a land of opportunity and promise for a better life from wherever and whatever you have been through. Hard work and good work ethics could get you anywhere in this country. These preconceived ideas made America a popular place for immigrants seeking religious freedom, better work, or a better life. Therefore, we call our country a melting pot of different origins, races, ethnic background, and cultural diversity. Richard Rodriguez is an American writing who has written many things that spark questions that affect things we have never wondered.

Read More
580 Words | 3 Pages

America is a “melting pot” where people from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds assimilate to the American culture. Second and third generation immigrants do not identify as Chinese, but Chinese-Americans. They may have a different faith and look differently, but they are Americans. The American society gains from the addition of immigrants by becoming a more tolerant and understanding nation. Buchanan further limits his arguments by preying upon people’s fears.

Read More
699 Words | 3 Pages

PHILOSOPHICAL RELEVANCE The theme of individuality is prevalent in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four as stated in the following quotes. For example, the first quote describes the main character, Winston as “...the meagerness of his body merely emphasized by the blue overalls which were the uniform of the party.” The context of the quote expresses that all citizens of the Party must have to dress according to the authority of the Party. Already this quote brings into perspective the rules of the totalitarianism society that constantly appears in the novel.

Read More
1118 Words | 5 Pages

The citizens who strive for greatness are often the ones who embody themselves to the value of hard work. How Americans view their identity is based on the foundation of economic development and opportunities in the

Read More
122 Words | 1 Pages

Individualism is beneficial for American society. (P.20) For most people, individualism contains negative concepts and sounds bad. Actually, modest individualism constructs for American society because considerable moral ideas in line with their own opinions. For example, my older brother has individualism in his career.

Read More
1414 Words | 6 Pages

The United States of America, is known to be one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world. It has often been referred to by many as a global melting pot or as locals may say callaloo, due to the amassing of diverse ethnicities, cultures and nationalities. Within its borders, resides immigrants or descendants of immigrants from almost every region in the world, and each has in some way added to the American culture and way of life. America is known for its stance on freedom, it is a nation that values equality and justice, this can be noted in the last few words of their national anthem ‘indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’ However, for many, high levels of economic and social inequalities are daily struggles, a battle that has been fought for decades to claim the most basic rights, in the pursuit of achieving the American Dream.

Read More
721 Words | 3 Pages

People often imagine American identity as unassuming and accepting. America is a place made up of a mixture of cultures, supposedly allowing one to live their life no matter how different it may be from their neighbor. American identity is seeing someone 's appearance, and no matter how different someone 's skin color or clothes, they are sanctioned as an American. Wouldn 't America be a place that welcomes different appearances and heritages as one? Okita 's poem "

Read More
442 Words | 2 Pages

Accordingly, the ideals of America used to be we were many ethnicities, all blended into one, but now we are a bunch of discordant ethnicities living in one country under one name just with different groups. Two essays on this topic are A Quilt of a Country by Anna Quindlen and The Immigrant Contribution by John F. Kennedy. JFK regarded that “everybody is an immigrant or the descendant of an immigrant” (JFK page 23). Quindlen characterized that “America was held together by a notion that all men are created equal and that America is made up of bits and pieces” (Quindlen page 13-14). America transpired a unique nation made up of different parts.

Read More

More about Individualism In America Essay

Open Document