Informative Essay: Are Americans Selfish?

Savannah Kauffman

Ms. Gibson

English III

February 10th, 2023

Are Americans Selfish?

“Everyone seems to agree that our individualism makes us self-centered…my colleagues and I found that greater levels of individualism were linked to more generosity -- not less… people who report high levels of personal well-being tend to engage in more positive, generous social behaviors.” Abigail March and her colleagues have proven with statistics and studies that selfish Americans can care for and interact better with others if they’ve taken care of themselves. Americans are not as selfish as some think. It's just that they are so involved in more self-care and individualism than most, and the generational improvement. Those who can help themselves can

While some people are groomed and focused on no one but themselves, and are truly selfish. But to be involved in your own self-care may just seem to be just selfish or following the newest trend. Self-care is important for the mental and physical aspect of every human life. Being clean and healthy raises up our confidence and self respect. But it can also make our lives healthier than before. Overall it is truly just self improvement, not only self-care. It is so important to have self-care in one’s life. Just because self-care is seen as selfish doesn’t mean it truly is. Moira Lawler with “Everyday Health” has stated in her article “What is Self-care and Why is it Critical to Mental Health?” that self-care is associated with selfishness but also “taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, you can be well, you can do your job, you can help, and care for others…” It improves our lives, and also our physical and mental health. ASelf-care makes Americans take care of themselves, improve their health, improve their ability and give them confidence to do their jobs. But some people can also see self-care as a growing “trend” in society. It’s such an important factor in everyone’s everyday life. Many trends are spreading like quick fire. But some trends are more important than others. This is one of those “trends”. Self-care in the

While others see the standards and overcome everyone’s opinions and peer pressure. Going back to Thomas Henricks Ph. D.’ article for “Does American Society Encourage Selfishness?” He provided the statement of “individuals should do their own work honestly and receive judgment for that effort,” Thomas is referring to the schools and their influence on the children. Schools show the first way that societies change people and how school forms those higher expectations from their students creating a pressure that may steer students away from their originalism. The societal pressure from schools can cause the feeling of needing to fit in and finally making it into a group or a click making them feel involved and wanted. When in reality they should be ready to overcome the societal pressure to be selfish and greedy like others are. It is one’s self that can make themselves selfish, but yet some are also able to reach up and hold themselves and hold others up. The benefit of overcoming everything is so important, but also to overcome the effects that society puts on everyone. The pressure can make people lose themselves and go mad with raw emotion. Some people collapse under the pressure, expectations, and the standard of everyone else. It stresses people out, drains them, and can make their lives