Response to research questions and inquiry

¶ … values of American culture. Specifically, it will connect this theme with two or more of the following: American energy consumption and foreign policy. Many writers (American and foreign) have commented on the core values of American culture, using terms like "rugged individualism," "individual freedom," "self-reliance," "pioneer spirit" and "democracy." Do you see a theme here?

AMERICAN CULTURE

Americans have always been noted for their loved of individual freedoms and their self-reliance. This tradition began before the Revolutionary War, when America stood up for her rights as a colony of England. Americans have been called "rugged individualists" who embody a "pioneer spirit" because we demanded our rights then, and we continue to do so today in a wide variety of areas, and all you have to do is turn on the television or read a newspaper to see some of these core values which are exhibited every day in our culture. For example, American energy consumption is the highest in the world, because we, as "rugged individualists" demand our right to drive gas guzzling SUVs and souped up hot rods despite the effect it has on the environment, because we have the "right" to drive whatever we desire, and damn the consequences. Americans take their freedoms seriously, no matter what they are, and this is another core value of our culture, which often leads to misunderstanding in other cultures. We appear selfish and self-adsorbed, and our core values do nothing to diminish these appearances. Our foreign policy also exhibits these core values, as the recent war with Iraq clearly illustrates. We were the "good guys" riding in on our white horses to liberate the oppressed, and even though we appeared like bullies to many other countries of the world, in America, our core values dictated that we help the oppressed, and dispose the dictators. If we enjoy freedom, then everyone should -- end of story. It is no wonder that we appear like "rugged individuals" to many; our core values uphold and celebrate this individualism, and without it, we would not be Americans.