American Family Values美国家庭价值观
中美家庭价值观对比-英文版
Differences of Family Values Between China and AmericaAbstract :This paper tries to make a comparison of different family values between China and US, which appeared in many fields, for instance, the American emphasis the individualism but Chinese focus on the collectivism, the relationship between family members and their attitudes to each other are also quite different,the life style influenced by family values are varied. Reasons for these differences are complex, including different customs, cultures and social backgrounds and so on.Key words: family values, life styles, cultures, differences.Ⅰ.IntroductionFamily is the most basic unit of all human society. It reflects the ethical values of a society, its cultural characteristics and the unique features of a nation. People begin to learn anything about the world and their culture through the family they are brought up in. What you think, how you act, even your language, are all transmitted through the family from the wider cultural context.Family values are the core in the research of cultural values, and it has a huge influence on people’s thoughts and behaviors. So if we want to get a glimpse of the cultures of two different countries, it is necessary to know their different family values. In this paper we will analyze family values from different aspects, including the decisive family values, the attitude to the family members and their relationships, and the influences of family values.Ⅱ.The differences of family values.A.The individualism VS. the collectivismThe American emphasize the personal independence, while Chinese emphasize on the whole family, not any individual member. Children in America have more freedom than that in China. Their parents rarely interfere with their private affairs, and usually try to enhance children’s all-around abilities when they are young. Theyhandle their own affairs themselves and try to get support from their colleagues or experts who work in the relevant field, and their family members only give suggestions to them. The key point of its society is freedom. Obviously, we Chinese pay more attention to the interest of whole family than that of any individual’s. In China, children usually live with their parents even after they are grown-up, since Chinese people want a more united family and closer relationship between family members. The living style in China is different compared with that in America. Chinese people like to live with their parents and they think this kind of living style may help them have more opportunity to understand other family members. This kind of living style can narrow the gap between family members and when anybody faces with a problem, the others can help him effectively and efficiently. The living style also reflects that Chinese people mainly emphasize the whole family but not the individuals, which is quite different from Americans.B.The attitude to the family members and their relationships in China andAmerica.Chinese people have a big family with variety of relatives, which may be easy to cause competition and suspicion. So in order to maintain order and family harmony, they particularly advocate showing respect to their seniority in the light of the theory of law and discipline rite of Confucius. And 'Act you role well' is the key to a harmonious family relationship. All the family members should be ranked strictly and according to their position in the family hierarchy they would be treated separately and be required to do what they should do. So in traditional Chinese family, the elder is highly respected. Parents bring up their children, then after parents are getting old, it is their children’s responsibility and duty to care for them and give them both material and spiritual support. In the traditional Chinese family, father was always the centre. It is not because the feudal concept that man is superior to woman, but also for what man has earned is the main source of family’s incoming and usually man earns more money than woman. And woman is responsible for the family house working. Though most household affairs are solved and decided by mother, the most important thing related to the whole family are determined by father. Between parents andchildren, parents are given more privilege and right to control their children. To most Chinese parents, a good child means to be obedient and docile. It is normal for parents to arrange everything for their children.To Americans, it is normal that parents and children are separate; reunion is abnormal. Parents bring up children and the children continue to raise the offspring, so the aged is expelled to the society. For the attitude to bring up the children, American parents consider that they have the legal liability, but in a sense, the children should take responsibility for their behaviors. Americans sniff at the concept of filial piety and think it restrains their self-awareness and ego-development. Parents and their children don't need dependency relationship. In contrast, they should establish a kind of allowance system so as to instill the basic concept of self-dignity and self-love into their children. As a result, although children would be grateful for their parents' favors, they do not think they have the obligation to pay back. In America, if the parents still live together with their adult children, they should pay board wages and accommodation fee to children. And the same to their adult children who still live with their parents.The primary purpose of an American family is to advance the happiness, the equality and the freedom of every family member. Americans praise self-centered and deal with the family members and family affairs rationally. For the sake of themselves, they deem that family should make sacrifice. Family’s honor and unity are less important than that in Chinese society. In an American family, the democratic idea of equality is prevalent. Father and mother have equal right to make decision on family affairs and their children are given right to vote.C. Comparison of life style influenced by family values1. Different Financial StyleIn China，family members are financially dependent，that is to say all of the family members should help each other，especially when he or she meets the financial problems，which seems that people have the responsibility for helping their family members to overcome the difficulties. During the daily life，children should take care of their old parents financially even parents have the possibility to rely onthemselves. In America, family members are financially independent. Americans appreciate the individuality which requires them at first to get an independent financial freedom. That means they do not rely on their parents or family members when they grow up. Sometimes American thinks it is a kind of shame to be supported by their kind red members. That is the reason why in the case the father and the son felt at ease when they bought tickets for each other.2. Different Life StyleIn China , a stable life style is much appreciated by people. As it has already been discussed above, the strong family tie in China has been taken its shape for thousand years long. Family members and relatives prefer to live together in terms of convenience which could reflect the Chinese “guanxi” vividly. Even after the implementation of Open Policy from 1980s，though the traditional lifestyle is influences a lot，people still want to live as close as possible to their family members，relatives and friends. However，in America，there is no such a strong family tie as same as that in China，therefore，their life style are very mobile. Meanwhile, this life style is also influenced by their personal values, such as self-reliance，hard work，and a tie between achieving success in life，personal achievement etc，which encourage Americans to work all of the world for achieving their career goals and success.3. Different Public FestivalsThere are several festivals which come of family unity in Chinese official holidays, such as Spring Festival，Tomb–sweeping Day, Qixi Jie and Mid-autumn Festival. The most important festival is the Spring Festival existing in the history for almost over 2000 years long. During this festival, all family and relatives get together, which is the very precious chance for people to enlarge and strengthen family ties. In America，Chiristmas Day，Hallow-mas，Saint Valentine's Day，Thanksgiving Day are the most important holidays coming of Christianity. The most significant festival is the Christmas Day. Before the festival，all Americans also come back from their works for this big day；however，this festival is much more religious for the family members even though they do have the activities of family reunion.Ⅲ. ConclusionThe cultural differences between China and America are reflected in almost all aspects of family life. The present study focuses on various major aspects，such as the different family decisive values，different family relationship and attitudes, and influences caused by family values. It’s not just simply listing some phenomena and analyzing the cultural explanation . The intention of the study is to promote a better understanding between Chinese and American people by comparing the family values. We would like to say if we want to live peacefully and harmoniously under the same roof，the best thing we must do is to make an understanding between Chinese people and American people. Meanwhile，a good understanding of the difference will surely facilitate the cross-cultural communication of two peoples.【References】[1] HALL, E, F. The Hidden Dimension[M]. New York:double-day. 1996.[2] Stanley, Haverwas. A Community of Character[M]. Cam-bridge, 1984.。
试论中美家庭价值观的差异
试论中美家庭价值观的差异摘要家庭是社会的载体和最基本的社会细胞，家庭价值观是文化研究的核心，家庭成员的价值观直接或间接地影响他们在社会交往中的言行举止。
但是，由于地理环境、历史背景、文化价值和宗教信仰的不同，不同的民族和国家有不同的家庭价值观。
本文试从家庭模式、生活方式和文化教育三个方面对中美家庭价值观作一粗浅的比较，为进一步研究中美文化差异奠定基础，从而促进中美文化的交流和发展。
本文从讨论家庭价值观差异的三个关键点着手，并进行了一系列的比照和分析，从而突出它们的内涵以及在日常生活中的表现，然后借鉴和学习了大量研究学者和著作者的优秀研究成果并结合自身的学习过程和生活经历，促进本文成果的进一步深入。
关键词：家庭价值观；家庭模式；婚姻；教育；社交；成因On the Differences of Family Values Between China andAmericaAbstractFamily is the carrier and most fundamental cell of society. family value is the core in research of human culture, and family value of members, directly or indirectly ,influence on their behavior and thinking in society. That is to say, social value , to a large extent, is determined by the family values. However, due to the differences of geographical environment and historical background, cultural value and religious and belief, different nations and countries have different family values. This paper is on simple study trying to draw a comparison with family pattern, life style and cultural education of family values between China and America to lay a foundation for the further study of cultural differences and to promote the development of communication and culture between China and the US.This dissertation starts its study from discussing three key points of differences of family value,and making a series of contrast analysis to highlight what they mean and how to express.To obtain the futher results of study,this paper is basic on lots of achievements of many research scholars and authors,tightly related to his own standpoints ,which conclude in the process of learning with personal experience.Key words:family values;family pattern;marriage;family education;social contact;reasonsCONTENTS摘要 (I)Abstract (II)Chapter 1 Introduction (1)1.1 Definition of Family (1)1.2 Definition of Family Values (1)1.2.1 The decisive family value of China: familism and collectivism (2)1.2.2 The main family value of America: liberalism and individualism (2)Chapter 2 Differences Between Chinese and American Family Values (3)2.1 The Differences of Family Pattern (3)2.1.1 Family pattern of China (3)2.1.2 Family pattern of America (4)2.2 The Concept of Lifestyle (4)2.2.1 Chinese concept of life style (5)2.2.2 American concept of life style (6)2.3 Cultural Education of Family (6)2.3.1 Cultural education of Chinese family (7)2.3.2 Cultural education of American family (8)Chapter 3 Reasons for the Differences between Chinese and American Family Values (9)3.1 Geographic and Historic Reasons (9)3.2 Religious and Cultural Reasons (10)3.3 Economic Formation and Social Condition (11)3.4 Educational and Cultural Tradition (12)Chapter 4 Conclusion (12)References (13)Acknowledgements (14)Chapter 1 Introduction1.1 Definition of FamilyGenerally speaking,family should be defined as a group of people tied up with marriage, blood or adoption together, each in family act a part as parents, spouses or siblings of social identity to interact and make contributions, creating a combination of a common "blood culture ".And also there is another explanation of family,it say famliy is the basic cell of society, is the most important core of social organization,economic organization and spiritual home. That is to say, continuable development of family health is the cornerstone of stability and development of society and country, "home" is the responsibility, sustenance, intimacy and trust.In ancient society,the traditional form of most family is multigeneration which features with cohabiting, total wealth, produce together.However,with the great change of production mode and rapid development of economy,science and technology,in modern society,family play a very important role in distribution,consumption and inheritence in different cultures.To further understanding of differences of Chinese and American families,getting a basic mode and lifestyle is necessary process seeking common ground and developing together.1.2 Definition of Family ValuesFamily values are political and social belief,as the core of value system.In other words,family values are regarded as the view, attitudes or beliefs that each family member accumulate and conclude over a long period in daily lives.And it is a standard to evaluate the ideal family ,meaning and purpose,affecting individual family life and family business related matters.There are matters that family relations,relationships between husband and wife,parent-child relationship, kinship are all family values. The family is depend on family values, and family values is the precursor of family change.Different countries have different family values.There are many essential differences of Chinese and American family values.In China,people advocate familism, think the family is the foundation and affiliation of each person,the personal interests should be subordinated to collectivism, each person should actively contribute to the family to promote family economic and cultural development. However,in the United States, Americans inherite cultural traditions of Europe while develop it with its own customs and religious characteristics, forming the individual independence, individual rights, equality and freedom of family values .1.2.1 The decisive family value of China: familism and collectivismChinese family collectivism is deep-rooted,have along history and has been accompanied by the emergence and development of the family, which play a very strong role in guiding. In traditional Chinese society, agricultural production is the main source of income,which need to invest a lot of labor.Also the family is as the basic unit of social production, the greater the size, the more human resources, the strong economic power, the higher social status, which determines social ideal form that the social development shoule be owe to flourishing population of collective extended family, attaching importance to community life. In modern times, with economic development, although people's lifestyles have changed, the collectivist values of Chinese families still have been dominant. Modern Family have seperated from the form of multigeneration, the small family of new couples has become a major form to pursue happy and harmonious family life. But influenced by several thousand years of traditional culture, the living conditions of new family still reflect the collectivism and familism of family values:together with labor and production, along with the creation of material and spiritual wealth, at the same time,share food and consumption of material and spiritual wealth together,which value family,bring up children,and support for the elderly.In China,people put great importance to the familism and collectivism,they pay more attention to the interest of whole family or whole group than American.1.2.2The main family value of America:liberalism and individualismCompared with the Chinese family values,the family values of America is issentially different,just like the Western.It is believed that the American attach great importance to personal independence, individual rights,freedom and equality, which it mean significant differences,even it can be said to be the opposite with China. America is a Republic Capitalism with booming commercial economy and power, lifestyle and thinking of Amercian is more open and pragmatic than Chinese,in the system of family values, it express to demonstrate individual ability and respect for freedom.They are highly concerned about self-development, protection of the rights and development of self-awareness. When Amercian is just a child, family and parents instill the principles of individualism to them, handling some matters relating to themselves and family with equel opportunity and full democracy. When they are 18 years of age, they must be faced withhow to independ on their parents to survive. And Amercian families will encourage and ask children to support themselves without parents’money, to be responsible for social matters independently with their ability to get the recognition and respect of others and society. They can enjoy equal rights and freedom to participate in various activities by themselves.Meeting Meeting with difficulties, they are also more likely to get support from colleagues and friends instead of their families.In this way,it not only exercise their ability to survive,but also to promote the development of personality.In addition, American family do not mainly make up children’hildren can often be free in their favorite activities and gatherings, and gradually develop into a close friendship with parents asking for some suggestions.Chapter 2 Differences Between Chinese and American FamilyValues2.1 The Differences of Family PatternFamily pattern is a form of family generation and existence.The traditional family modes are divided into three categories by sociologists,there are core family,husbandand and wife and children,backbone family,new couple and children and elder,and extended family.Although modern family pattern has been far beyond the simple rule of the traditional and develop in the direction of a more diverse, it is not dicisive matters in family values.Family pattern and family are natural relationships that they interplay and restrict together.Modernization and optimization of family pattern is good for advancing with the time and retionalization of civilization of family values,meanwhile,the excellent and advanced family values also promote family pattern.In Chinese society,the characteristics of family pattern show the ploymerized,on the contrary,American family mode tends to dispersion and individualism.2.1.1 Family pattern of ChinaIn Chinese and American culture,the concept of home is poles apart.Chinese family model basically reflects the form of multigeneration and large structure and number of members. Whether in a traditional Chinese family, or the formation of a modern family, family pattern both reflect that the form is dominant and in a absolute position. Under the influence of Confucian culture of China thousands of years,it create that most of Chinese pay more attention on personalobligations to the family, parents’ responsibility,children’s support,as well as family members, are mutual support and interdependent. In Chinese family model, the elderly and parents at home have high status and absolute rights to matterand be respected and loved by the junior.Most of children must obey their parents’ words and rules,if not,they will be punished.And as the young couple will have to bear tremendous pressure, on the one hand, they want to have children,give birth to and raise children, On the other hand, they must support their parents and the elderly, filial and loyal. But new couples also need their parents to help take care of children and do housework, so that three-generation in family in China is everywhere.And individual always depend on the parents and share joys and sorrows with family. But compared to Amercian families, Chinese children are short of personal sense and are relatively weak of individual ability.2.1.2 Family pattern of AmericaThe traditional American family contain just only parents and minor children, whether adult children married or not,they will choose to move out of parents’s home. Their family pattern is typical of the nuclear family. American Family is highly valued rights awareness and individualism, each member of the home is self-centered, rather than the whole family-centered.It is said that American regard themselves as individual and independent person,which should enjoy their unique personality and dignity. At any time,anyone should not easily give up their rights, because it is one of psychological and social needs of individual,families and groups.Under the family pattern in the United States, parents and children have adequate rights to protect their equal freedom, they settle down their family matters and personal problems in a democracy and fair way together and, basically there is no absolute right and high pressure just like Chinese parents possess in Amercia.In this family pattern,the American are gradually trained and built up self-awareness and personal abilities. Another point of most important difference with China is that the American not only do not absolutely support for the elderly and contribute to their family,but also be not responsible for the child all the time.When the children has grown up to survive by themselves, parents and children have their different style to live.2.2 The Concept of LifestyleLifestyle is a fairly broad concept, which includes production and living conditions, and attitudes of people and society, it can be understood that at a certain historical period and socialconditions, people choosed and enjoyed the life mode in various ethnic,classes and social groups.In this article,it mainly introduce its two ways of social contact and marital attitudes to exchange knowledge.Social interaction is a social activitie process to exchange the material and spiritual each other,and it is conducive to personal growth and cultural transmission. In regard to the attitude of marriage,it refers to value orientation of mating selection or love and marriage when get married ,including both individual and parental attitudes.In China and the United States, not only social interaction but also marital attitude both reflect a great contrast.2.2.1 Chinese concept of lifestyleAbout two aspects of Chinese lifestyle, social interaction and marriage attitudes, whether in individual or group, whether it is family or community,all show that they are deeply influenced by the traditional Chinese culture, and they have the typical values of lifestyle in mind. On the one hand, China is a State of Ceremonies, Chinese people’s attitudes and social behavior reflect both a lofty stance of ceremonies and introverted feeling.No matter who to get along with family or others in daily communication, Chinese people pay attention to civilized manners, focus priority in rank, at the same time, the process and the performance is very implicit. The handshake is the most representative of courtesy greetings, unlike the American variety of open kissing etiquette. On the other hand, China is a full traditional country, feudal thought is very strong, which largely determines the value orientation of marriage attitudes. In ancient feudal period, the typical value orientation of marriage attitude is to arrange a match by parents’order and matchmaker’s word,that is to say,children’s marriage is made up decision by parents and families,and arranged marriages are the main form. Although in the process of Chinese modernization, people's thinking changed a lot,they advocate free love, but family and parental attitudes still have a great impact on value of marriage.What is more, nowadays the requirements of the wife’s parents is higher and higher, including houses and cars of hard conditions and individual abilities and development.This value of marriage attitude is not conducive to satisfy people’s feelings of spiritual life, but also potentially increasing the cost of marriage so that it increases the pressure on the man's family, and even lead to a phobia of marriage. For Chinese people, marriage is not only family obligations, as well as a personal right.They have the right and obligation to be responsible for various needs and own future, so once married, the vast majority of people will never leave or forsake and until die.2.2.2 American concept of lifestyleIn America,the milk of human kindness is lighter than China. Their children must be drove out when children meet the adult age - the age of eighteen,regardless of wealthy parents,which let them exercise how to live and deal with social contact in challenging surroundings.Concerned about ralationship with classmates and friends, their feeling and attitude is also very casual, very relaxed, and very open.Meeting etiquette is generally kissing. Americans do underestimate human feelings,but value the principles, rules and laws. Emotion between people rarely affect the normal business dealings,Americans follow the socially accepted rules.It is precisely because the United States and other Western countries in the economic exchanges are rarely affected by feelings about friendship, their order of market economy is much better than China.In the process of social interaction, the freedom to choose an lover is in a dominant position on the American concept of marriage in the extending individuality.About loving and mating for American, youth will naturally have their own requirements and standards.American ideal marriage is a commitment, not the responsibility of each other and family like Chinese people.A lot of people think that the United States maintain the most important factor is loyalty for marriage,only men and women do it,can marriage become better and better.Because of social customs and the betrayal one side can not stand, divorce in the United States is a very common phenomenon. If one of them has an affair, they will solve the problem to divorce.2.3 Cultural Education of FamilyWhether Americans or Chinese people,family education is particularly important for them,and from ancient times to modern times,it has been playing vital role in a country education. Person's life will go through three form of education, namely family education, school education and social education,and family education for a person, is not only elementary education but also lifelong education, because the family is the child's natural school, parents are the first teachers of child. People often say: the child is the shadow of the parents, the parents are the child's mirror.That is the reasons to show. It is visible that family education for children's healthy development plays an important role. The great leader Deng Xiaoping said,“The basis of acountry’s modernization lies in talents,the basis of talents lies in education,and the basis of education lies in families.”Therefore,more and more attention has been paid to family,and familyeducation has already become a very hot topic of society.With regard to family education of China and America,American pay more attention and vigor on family education than China.American family education is one of the most famous family education.2.3.1 Cultural education of Chinese familyFamily education is the most fundamental position in education.The current Chinese family education is still influenced by the traditional family values because of the impact of Confucianism.Parents often tell their children,“To be a scholar is to be best and top of society.”This is the most common and widespread phenomenon.This part will make one divide into two to introduce Chinese family education.The one thing,there are some advantages: Firstly,Chinese family education ,from an early age to grow up, emphasize on cultivating people's ethical piety and taking on family and social responsibility, under this concept has a great positive impact on promoting the Chinese traditional virtue and stability of the family and society people. In their daily life, they will be in natural and self-conscious to respect for elders and the respected, and to initiatively assume responsibility,which is beneficial to the healthy development of the family and society.Second, Chinese family education followed the fine tradition of virtues, civilized etiquette is compulsory class of family education.From interaction among family members in daily life to contact the society,as well as national negotiations, reflects a powerful Chinese cultural etiquette, which have benefited from emphasis on family education. Civilized manners and nice etiquette are firmly grasped by the other countries,as positive and important values of civilization and etiquette.Attaching importance to civilization and etiquette can reduce misunderstandings and conflicts, bury the war with olive-branch,so that strengthen the interaction in society,keep social harmony and stability and build up a civilized society and state. But also it can strength and influence the national comprehensive.Third,Chinese parents prefer to the sense of competition,“Race to the top.”Children are educated to how to be a better man in family,leting them maintain this state of mind in study and work to promote individual development and social advance.The others,there are some shortcomings of Chinese family education.In is a common phenomemon of Chinese parents to spoil child,and in the world of family education, the degree ofChinese parents’spoiling get the top. Also many parents ignore the development of child’s non-intelligence in accordance with their way.Besides, Chinese parents are struck on educating child with material incentives, disguised guidance of money worship, rather than guide their children to establish the correct values and interest children must be not strange to the word of material incentives in Chinese family education.As well as,child's independent personality was took by the throat by their parents, resulting in child is over-reliance on parents and families, lack of basic sense and ability of independence to survive alone.It is a sorrow of family education.What is worse,in Chinese family education,parents maintain absolute authority to influence child’children make mistakes or their test scores are not ideal,they will often be punished by parents, which is the biggest accomplice of examination-oriented education. Parents lack the initiative mind and spirit to communicate with children,even believe that geting a hige score can achieve good results,but ignore the child's real idea from their heart,resulting in the greatest degree of poor ability of Chinese children is to combine theory with practice.2.3.2 Cultural education of American familySpeaking to American family cultural educations, they are divided into thtree aspects of educational purposes, educational content and manner. First, American family education purpose is to cultivate children to adapt to the different kinds of circumstance and to live with independent viability, rather than pursuing some utilitarian goals, such as higher educational background, better jobs, and so on. Guided by this purpose, the self-awareness and independent will of children are indeed fostered . Second, the kind of educational content is depend on the kind of educational cational content of American family is colorful and diversified, focus on children in physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development in harmony, which is named to quality-oriented education. They often take the children to the wild hiking, close to nature, to develop children's horizons and improve their aesthetic ability.They often guide children how to self-service, self-learning, how to socialize, how to live. Third, family educational manner is the specific measures and means parents carry out the educational content.It is closely associated with the cultural traditions, customs, historical background of each country. American family advocate democracy and open education, children in the home have a voice, participation and the right to choose, they can comment and say “no”according to their true thoughts, parents focus on the establishment of close friendship with children, respect for their rights and privacy.There arerarely criticism,but often express love and encouragement.Guided by parents,children are effectively and qulckly improve acknowledge,strengthen ability and cultivate interests in practical training, rather than homiletic though.As we all know, the cultural education of American family is one of the most advanced and scientific family cultural education around the world.It is often imitated and learnt by other nations and countries,and we Chinese people should learn from American strong points to offest our weakness,promoting development and prosperity of family cultural education.Chapter 3 Reasons for the Differences Between Chinese andAmerican Family Values3.1 Geographic and Historic ReasonsChina is a landlocked country,the land area ranks third in the world.China is a large agricultural country, as China's geography and climatic conditions are suitable for the development of agriculture, leading to people and government attach great importance to the development of agriculture. In ancient times and traditional thinking,agriculture is to meet the people’s requirements of the material conditions and is the fundamental economic basis for national establishment and development.Besides,China is vast territory and a bundant resources(地大物博), various energy and resources are very rich, people can get self-sufficiency through work,so that they rarely exchange material and energy with the outside world, it further China's closed-door policy and seclusion ideas. Chinese people have little or virtual no contact with the outside world, leding to the traditional family values is closure and narrow. With the impact and influence of politics, economy and culture outside,the Chinese people's traditional ideas have changed and come to complexity.However,American is a coastal country and surrounded by the sea.It has developed commercial and industrial economies, which show that the American political, economic and cultural development should be rely on the superior geographical environment of the sea, communicate with people all over the world to promote cooperation and exchanges with the outside country.And the United States is the UK branch,is deeply influenced by the economy,politics,and culture of Western European countries,and this is the reason why the US emphasis on democratic freedoms and individual rights of family values. In addition, the United States is a nation of immigrants, the American people are from all over theworld, the union of different nations and culture make Americans have a strong sense of competition and individual capacity in American values and, immigrants from different countries took their own culture and customs to the United States, advancing the American culture and values become colorful in a furnace.China has five thousand years of history and splendid culture, is a well-known civilized country.And the development of the various stages of its history have a profound impact on the Chinese family values,the most important thing is the influence of the feudal system.It led to family values become feudal and conservative. Under the guidance of this concept, people are very valued family origins and history,but the status of each family member is not equal, in particularly men and women,husbands wives, parents and children. At home, generally man is head of the family, have a high status,parents can have the absolute right to punish children. But in the United States, the American family members enjoy equal rights and status, there is no absolute authority.Besides,it is illegal to punish children.On the contrary, American family values seemed more humane and scientific.America is a short history of the nation of immigrants,with little influence of old minds., Under the influence of various ideological values and multiculturalism among peoples of different countries,Americans are strongly conscious of freedom and rights, social competition. and a strong sense of personal ability to retain the old culture and thought, promoting family values develop with hunmanization.Then, the United States is a capitalist country,did not experience the stages of feudal society, is not restrained by feudal though. Fewer constraints to development, people can more rapidly accept new ideas and cultures, so they are more adventurous rights and independence of spirit of American family values has been permeated with the historical development of the United States.3.2 Religious and Cultural ReasonsReligion and culture have a very profound impact on values, especially family values. Influenced by different religions and cultures, different nations countries have different family values. Chinese people believe in Buddhism that preach asceticism, which led to the Chinese people hide and restrain their true thoughts and interest in family values, but subject to arrangements.It is a pity of them to lack the sense of self-discivery and self-improvement.Also the Chinese cultural origins and source is the Confucianism,which is positive or passive to cultural system in the process of development.Confucianism enjoy the highest social status, people's daily。
中美家庭价值观
Sino-Us family valuescontrastAmerican family valuesWhen mentioning the difference of family values between Chinese and Americans , we may think firstly that Chinese people pay more attention to the family than Americans. However , it is just a fault. In my opinion, on account of the following matters, the fact is that the American family value is better than Chinese.Firstly, the relationship of the couple is stable in America. American people havemany opposite friends before they get married, while they become very loyal to each other after they are married. They respect each other, trust each other and take care of each other. In public, we can see American couples watch their children, and at the same time they have intimate conversations ,and they look like very casual and sweet. The phenomenon is rarely appeared in China, especially on these old couples.Secondly, every father has a strong sense of responsibility. In the library, in the supermarket or in the entertainment place, wherever the father goes, he always takesher children with him. But the mother is very free. She can get rid of the children's bother and do whatever she wants . This is a sharp contrast with the Male chauvinist which dominates in Chinese family.Thirdly, Americans are doing with families as basic units.When joining a party, going on a vacation, or being invited by colleagues to their houses, Americans are naturally joinging them with the whole family. This way of gathering is good for the consolidation of friendship not only between the family members but also between the friends.Fourthly, family is always in the first place. Many companies generally do not schedule a meeting after 4 am, because parents are going to pick their children from school. Many Americans have more of a sacrifice on the business for the family. A woman would rather resign her job after she gives birth to a baby. It is very common in the United States that everyone is willing to give up any perfect job for his or her family. However, it is quite different fin China. In most cases, the husband may participate the entertainment outside, or go out for travealling with his colleagues, leaving hiefamily aside.The family value Americans lives by seems strange to a Chinese people. As a result, we my find their actions confusing, even unbelievable. Nevertheless, nothing can conquer American family value, because it makes the unique character of the great nationality. This is actually great wealth of the United States, which makes America into a powerful nation in the world.Chinese family values Actually, there are a lot of dominant differences of family values betweenAmerica and China which derived from many traditional and historical concepts. First of all, as the individual ,we advocate that we should make contributions to our family , our society and our country. As we are very young, we are taught to be ready to make any sacrifice for our nation instead of our family, even giving up our precious lives. On the other hand , parents are the authority of a family, so we have to respect them and obey them under any circumstance. However, these are not advocated in the United States.American parents often teach their children to beindependent . Democracy is advocated in the family, so each member has gained the equal rights in the family status. Each individual is told that he has his right to choose his own life style, no one can stop him. Therefore ,in the American people's eyes, democracy and independence are the most significant elements to made up their lives.The other thing is that in China most people regard the house as their symbol of wealth. So having the private house is the main tendency of Chinese people. Because of this, the housing price is rising continually inChina to a degree that a number of people cannot afford it. And the housing problem has become a serious problem to limit people's living standard. Nevertheless, although America is the most developed nation in the world, its housing privatisation rate is well below China's. Many American people prefer to cohabitate instead of buying the expensive house by them.One another thing is that Chinese people regard money as rather an important role in their daily life. More and more people spend most of their time on work to get adequatemoney to support their family. In spite of weekends or vacations, people would rather look for part-time job than enjoy their holiday. It seems that Chinese always say we work day by day, and earn more money for our future generations. This is quite different from Americans. In their eyes, Life is so short, and alive is our great happiness. They just need to live in their own life, and let our children to live depending upon themselves.Because of the difference of traditional and historical concepts, the United Stateds and China are poles apart in our family values.While the two kinds of family values are in accordance with the Fundamental realities of each country . This will contribute the two countries to become the powerful nations in the world.。
浅谈美国传统家庭价值观
浅谈美国传统家庭价值观美国传统家庭价值观一直是人们津津乐道的话题。
在美国社会中，家庭一直被视为稳定和支持的基石，传统的家庭价值观也一直深受人们的尊重和重视。
本文将从几个方面来浅谈美国传统家庭价值观，探讨其对美国社会的影响。
美国传统家庭价值观强调家庭的重要性和稳定性。
在美国，家庭往往被视为一个人生的避风港，是一个人生活的基本单位。
传统的家庭价值观强调家庭成员之间的亲密关系和支持，鼓励家庭成员相互照顾和支持，共同面对生活中的挑战和困难。
家庭成员之间的关系被视为永恒的，而家庭的稳定则被视为社会的基础。
这种价值观在美国社会中根深蒂固，使得美国的家庭生活往往显得稳定、和谐。
美国传统家庭价值观注重家庭成员之间的责任和义务。
在传统的美国家庭中，父母往往被视为家庭的领导者，他们承担着照顾家庭成员、提供经济支持和教育子女的责任。
而子女则被视为家庭的希望，他们需要尊重父母、听从父母的安排，并且要努力学习和成长，为家庭和社会做出贡献。
这种家庭价值观强调了家庭成员之间的相互支持和理解，使得家庭成员之间的关系更加紧密，也使得家庭更加稳定。
美国传统家庭价值观强调了家庭的教育和传统。
在传统的美国家庭中，父母往往是子女的第一任老师，他们会教导子女如何做人、如何处理人际关系、如何学习和成长。
父母也会传承家庭的传统和价值观给子女，让他们了解家庭的历史和文化，培养他们对家庭的归属感和责任感。
这种家庭价值观使得家庭成员在成长过程中更加扎根，也使得家庭的传统和文化得以传承和发展。
美国传统家庭价值观对美国社会产生了深远的影响。
这种家庭价值观强调了家庭的重要性和稳定性，培养了家庭成员之间的责任和义务感，促进了家庭成员之间的沟通和交流，同时也传承和弘扬了家庭的教育和传统。
这种价值观不仅使得美国的家庭生活更加和谐稳定，也促进了社会的发展和进步。
随着社会的变革和发展，传统家庭价值观也面临着挑战和变迁。
现代社会中，家庭结构日益多样化，传统的家庭模式已经不能完全适应现代社会的需求。
美国价值观与观念American Values and Assumptions
美国价值观与观念随着们的成长，他们从他们的父母和其他亲戚，他们的老师，书籍，报纸，电视节目，互联网，以及各种其他来源学习某些价值和假设。
价值观和假设是紧密相关的，但它们之间存在着一定的差异。
在不同文化的方法中，男人和女人的角色的适当的角色提供了一个很好的例子，价值观和假设之间的关系。
价值观是对什么是正确和错误，可取和不可取的，正常和不正常，适当和不适当的想法。
例如，在某些文化中，人们教导人们应该在不同的社会世界中单独的社会世界，在男人的领域中有明确的活动，在其他文化中，男人和女人都被认为有更多或更少的平等参与社会中的角色。
观念，用在这里，是观念，是关于人的，生活的给予，，而事情的方式。
例如，在某些社会中，人们认为家庭生活是和谐的，当女人在家里和孩子们呆在家里时，他们会在家里赚钱。
在其他社会，人们认为家庭生活是最好的，当外界工作和抚养孩子的责任是由男人和女人共同分享的。
在一些社会中，人们认为当一个成熟的男人和女人单独在一起，性活动几乎肯定会发生。
在其他国家，柏拉图（即，性元素缺乏）未婚男女之间的友谊是可能的。
学者争论的定义，价值观，假设，和其他条款，出现在这本书。
但这本书不是为学者。
希望对美国有一定了解的国际游客。
那些想读更多学术著作的人在这里提出的问题可以参考书目的最后这本书。
在特定的文化中成长的人有一定的价值观和假设。
这并不意味着他们都在相同的程度上分享相同的价值观。
这确实意味着他们中的大多数，大部分时间，都同意对方的想法，对什么是正确的和错误的，可取的和不可取的，等等。
他们也同意，主要是，与彼此的假设有关的人性，社会关系，等等。
任何价值观和假设的任何一列都是天生的武断的。
这取决于如何定义和分类的东西，可以使一三项或一三零项国家的重大价值和假设清单。
下面提供的名单有八项，涵盖一系列的密切相关的价值观和美国人普遍持有的假设：个人主义，自由，竞争，和隐私；平等；非正式；未来，改变，进步；人性的善良；时间；成就，行动，工作，和唯物主义；而直接和自信。
浅谈美国传统家庭价值观
浅谈美国传统家庭价值观1. 引言1.1 美国传统家庭价值观的重要性美国传统家庭价值观在美国社会中占据着重要地位，它们不仅是家庭的基本构成和运作方式，更是塑造个人行为和社会规范的重要因素。
传统家庭价值观强调了家庭的稳定和亲情关系的重要性，注重家庭成员之间的相互尊重和支持。
这些价值观在塑造人们的行为方式、价值观念和社会观念上发挥着重要作用。
传统家庭价值观也是美国文化和社会制度的基础，它们对个人和社会的发展具有深远的影响。
通过传统家庭价值观的传承和弘扬，人们不仅能够建立稳定的家庭关系，更能够培养出善良、正直、负责任的个人品格。
传统家庭价值观还体现了社会秩序和道德规范，促进了社会的稳定和发展。
传统家庭价值观的重要性不容忽视。
它们不仅是保持家庭和社会稳定的关键，更是传承和发展美国文化的基础。
尊重和传承传统家庭价值观，对于塑造健康的家庭关系、提升社会凝聚力和建设美好社会具有重要意义。
【完】2. 正文2.1 家庭作为美国社会的基石美国传统家庭价值观认为家庭是社会的基石，家庭是社会中最基本的单位，是个人成长和发展的重要场所。
家庭提供了爱与支持，是人们在困难时刻的避风港，也是人们在成功时分享喜悦的地方。
在美国社会中，家庭扮演着至关重要的角色，不仅是个人成长的关键，也是社会秩序的基础。
家庭是个人道德观念和价值观念的主要来源，是培养下一代的重要场所。
在这个家庭中，人们学会了尊重、责任、勤劳和互助，这些品质在日后的生活和工作中至关重要。
在美国社会中，大多数人选择遵循传统家庭价值观，认为家庭应该是一个温馨和谐的地方，父母应该教育孩子尊重他人，善良友善。
不论是在农村还是城市，家庭都扮演着至关重要的角色，给人们提供了稳定和安全的环境。
家庭教育不仅传承了智慧和经验，也传递了人文主义和道德观念。
这些传统价值观塑造了一个善良、宽容和有爱心的社会，促进了社会的和谐发展和稳定。
在美国社会中，家庭作为基石的角色无可替代，它支撑着整个社会的运转，传承了文化和信仰，是美国社会的重要组成部分。
中美家庭价值观对比研究On the Differences of Family Values between China and America
四川师范大学文理学院本科毕业论文On the Differences of Family Values between Chinaand America试论中美文化家庭价值观的差异学生姓名潘婷院系名称外国语学院专业名称英语（师范）班级 2010级 3班学号 201014015315指导教师覃红霞（讲师）答辩时间试论中美家庭价值观的差异学生：潘婷指导教师：覃红霞 ( 讲师 )摘要：家庭是人类最基本的单位元素，反映了一个社会的道德观。
家庭价值观是文化研究的核心，直接影响着家庭成员在社会中的言语和行为。
也就是说整个社会的价值观很大程度上是由家庭价值观所决定的。
但是，由于地理、历史背景、传统文化、宗教信仰的不同，不同的民族有不同的家庭价值观。
随着经济全球化的快速发展，中美跨文化交际变得越来越频繁和重要，然而，由于家庭价值观的不同，在跨文化交际中的误解时有发生，学习不同国家的家庭价值观是很有必要的。
本文通过对中美两国家庭价值观的对比，使人们了解由于价值观的不同而产生的人们对婚姻，子女关系，家庭教育观念的不同看法，从而减少跨文化交际中因误解而产生的不必要的冲突。
关键词：家庭价值观；子女关系；教育；婚姻；成因On the Differences of Family Values Between Chinaand AmericaAbstract：Family is the most fundamental unit of human society, and it reflects the moral outlook of a society. Family value is the core in the research of cultural values, and it has a direct influence on people‟s behaviour and thi nking.That is to say ,the values of the society ,to a large extent, depends on people‟s Family values. However,because of the differences of geographical and historical background, traditional cultures, religious and belief, different nations have different family values.With the rapid development of economic globalization, cross-cultural communication between china and America is becoming more and more important and frequent. However, because of different family values, misunderstanding happens commonly in the cross-cultural communication.so it is necessary to know the different family values in different countries. This paper paper aims to help Chinese people and American people to further understand each other by comparing the two counties family values and reduce unnecessary conflicts caused by misunderstanding in cross-cultural communication.Key words:family values; relations between parents and children; marriage; family education; reasonsContentsIntroduction (1)Chapter 1 Definitions of Family, Values and Family Values (2)1.1 Definition of Family (2)1.2 Definition of Family Values (3)1.2.1 The decisive family value of China: collectivism (3)1.2.2 The definitive family value of America: individualism (4)Chapter 2 Differences between Chinese and American Family Values (5)2.1 the differences of relationship between parents and children (5)2.1.1 Chinese relationship between parents and children (5)2.1.2 Ameiricans relationship between parents and children (6)2.2 The concept of Family Education (6)2.2.1 Chinese concept of family education (7)2.2.2 American concept of family education (8)2.3 The concept of Marriage (9)2.3.1 Chinese concept of marriage (9)2.3.2 American concept of marriage (10)Chapter 3 Reasons for the Differences between Chinese and American Family Values (12)3.1 Geographic reason ..................................................... 错误！未定义书签。
American Family Values美国家庭价值观 PPT
Republicans
They use it to attract the socialy conservative, tying it in with the
nuclear family and (most of the time) Christian values. These values include:
American Family Values美国家庭价值观
What Does It Mean?
When asked about their family values, most people find it difficult to define. In today’s age, the very definition of family varies. The “values” are the beliefs and morales that are important to that family.
大家应该也有点累了，稍作休息
大家有疑问的，可以询问和交流
Contemporary Beliefs
Support for the universal living wage model to improve livelihood Belief in acceptance of non-traditional families that may include same-sex and polygamous long-term relationships, as well as single-parent families Belief in a woman's right to abortion Belief in Planned Parenthood programs that offer contraception Belief in government-funded financial aid to families Support for sex education in public schools Belief in practicing and teaching tolerance, patience and understanding for alternative lifestyles Belief in universal healthcare and family-friendly employment laws (maternity leave, personal leave, emergency family leave) Support for freedom of religion
美国人的价值观 英文
Readings #1---What is culture?Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future - Albert CamusCulture is an integral part of every society. It is a learned pattern of behavior and ways in which a person lives his or her life. Culture is essential for the existence of a society, because it binds people together. In the explicit sense of the term, culture constitutes the music, food, arts and literature of a society. However, these are only the products of culture followed by the society and cannot be defined as culture.According to English Anthropologist Edward B Taylor, culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.Culture is something that a person learns from his family and surroundings, and is not ingrained in him from birth. It does not have any biological connection because even if a person is brought up in a culture different from that in which he was born, he imbibes the culture of the society where he grows up. It is also not a hidden fact that some people feel the need to follow the beliefs and traditions of their own culture, even though they might be not subscribing to certain ideologies within.Culture is a complex tool which every individual has to learn to survive in a society. It is the means through which people interact with others in the society. It acts in a subconscious way and whatever we see and perceive, seems to be normal and natural. Sometimes, other societies and people seem to be a little odd because they have a different culture from ours. We must remember that every society has a distinct culture that forms the backbone of the society. Culture does not remain stagnant, on the other hand it is evolving constantly and is in fact somewhat influenced by the other cultures and societies.Every society has a different culture, where people share a specific language, traditions, behaviors, perceptions and beliefs. Culture gives them an identity which makes them unique and different from people of other cultures. When people of different cultures migrate and settle in another society, the culture of that society becomes the dominant culture and those of the immigrants form the subculture of the community. Usually, people who settle in other nations imbibe the new culture, while at the same time strive to preserve their own.Although every society has a specific culture, there are certain elements of culture that are universal. They are known as cultural universals, in which there are certain behavioural traits and patterns that are shared by all cultures around the world. For instance, classifying relations based on blood relations and marriage, differentiating between good and bad, having some form of art, use of jewelry, classifying people according to gender and age, etc., are common in all cultures of the world.1Some people believe that humans are the only living beings who have a culture. But, there is a group of people who believe in the existence of culture even in animals. It is said that animals have certain social rules which they teach their young ones as a medium for survival.Culture is necessary to establish an order and discipline in the society. It is not only a means of communication between people, but also creates a feeling of belonging and togetherness among people in the society.By Deepa KarthaAfter you readCulture hides much more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants. Years of study have convinced me that the real job is not to understand foreign culture but to understand our own.---- Edward T. HallDo you agree with the quotation by Edward T. Hall? Do people really not understand their own culture? What aspects of a country’s culture are the hardest to unde rstand?Readings #2---The Values Americans Live Byby L. Robert KohlsMost Americans would have a difficult time telling you, specifically, what the values are that Americans live by. They have never given the matter much thought.Even if Americans had considered this question, they would probably, in the end, decide not to answer in terms of a definitive list of values. The reason for this decision is itself one very American value—their belief that every individual is so unique that the same list of values could never be applied to all, or even most, of their fellow citizens.Although Americans may think of themselves as being more varied and unpredictable than they actually are, it is significant that they think they are. Americans tend to think they have been only slightly influenced by family, church or schools. In the end, each believes, "I personally chose which values I want to live my own life by."Despite this self-evaluation, a foreign anthropologist could observe Americans and produce a list of common values that would fit most Americans. The list of typically American values would stand in sharp contrast to the values commonly held by the people of many other countries. We, the staff of the Washington International Center, have been introducing thousands of international visitors to life in the United States for more than a third of a century. This has caused us to try to look at Americans through the eyes of our visitors. We feel confident that the values listed here describe most (but not all) Americans.Furthermore, we can say that if the foreign visitor really understood how deeply ingrained these 13 values are in Americans, he or she would then be able to understand 95% of American actions—action that might otherwise appear strange or unbelievable when evaluated from the2perspective of the foreigner’s own society and its values.The different behaviors of a people or a culture make sense only when seen through the basic beliefs, assumptions and values of that particular group. When you encounter an action, or hear a statement in the United States that surprises you, try to see it as an expression of one or more of the values listed here. For example, when you ask Americans for directions to get to a particular address in their own city, they may explain, in great detail, how you can get there on your own, but may never even consider walking two city blocks with you to lead you to the place. Some foreign visitors have interpreted this sort of action as showing Americans’ "unfriendliness." We would suggest, instead, that the self-help concept (value number 6 on our list), is so strong in Americans that they firmly believe that no adult would ever want, even temporarily, to be dependent on another. Also, their future orientation (value 8) makes Americans think it is better to prepare you to find other addresses on your own in the future. Before proceeding to the list itself, we should also point out that Americans see all of these values as very positive ones. They are not aware, for example, that the people in many Third World countries view change (value 2) as negative or threatening. In fact, all 13 of these American values are judged by many of the word’s citizens as negative and undesirable. Therefore, it is not enough simply to familiarize yourself with these values. You must also, so far as possible, consider them without the negative or derogatory connotation that they might have for you, based on your own experience and cultural identity.It is important to state emphatically that our purpose in providing you with this list of the most important American values is not to convert you, the foreign visitor, to our values. We couldn’t achieve that goal even if we wanted to, and we don’t want to. We simply want to help you understand the Americans with whom you will be relating—from their own value system rather that from yours.1. PERSONAL CONTROL OVER THE ENVIRONMENTAmericans no longer believe in the power of Fate, and they have come to look at people who do as being backward, primitive, or hopelessly naïve. To be call "fatalistic" is one of the worst criticisms one can receive in the American context; to an American, it means one is superstitious and lazy, unwilling to take any initiative in bringing about improvement.In the United States, people consider it normal and right that Man should control Nature, rather than the other way around. More specifically, people believe every single individual should have control over whatever in the environment might potentially affect him or her. The problems of one’s life are not seen as having resulted from bad luck as much as having come from one’s laziness in pursuing a better life. Furthermore, it is considered normal that anyone should look out for his or her own self-interests first and foremost.Most Americans find it impossible to accept that there are some things that lie beyond the power of humans to achieve. And Americans have literally gone to the moon, because they refused to accept earthly limitations.Americans seem to be challenged, even compelled, to do, by one means or another (and often at great cost) what seven-eighths of the world is certain cannot be done.32. CHANGEIn the American mind, change is seen as an indisputably good condition. Change is strongly linked to development, improvement, progress, and growth. Many older, more traditional cultures consider change as a disruptive, destructive force, to be avoided if at all possible. Instead of change, such societies value stability, continuity, tradition, and a rich and ancient heritage—none of which are valued very much in the United States.These first two values—the belief that we can do anything and the belief that any change is good—together with an American belief in the virtue of hard work and the belief that each individual has a responsibility to do the best he or she can do have helped Americans achieve some great accomplishments. So whether these beliefs are true is really irrelevant; what is important is that Americans have considered them to be true and have acted as if they were, thus, in effect, causing them to happen.3. TIME AND ITS CONTROLTime is, for the average American, of utmost importance. To the foreign visitor, Americans seem to be more concerned with getting things accomplished on time (according to a predetermined schedule) than they are with developing deep interpersonal relations. Schedules, for the American, are meant to be planned and then followed in the smallest detail.It may seem to you that most Americans are completely controlled by the little machines they wear on their wrists, cutting their discussions off abruptly to make it to their next appointment on time.Americans’ language is filled with references to time, giving a clear indication of how much it is valued. Time is something to be "on," to be "kept," "filled," "saved," "used," "spent," "wasted," "lost," "gained," "planned," "given," "made the most of," even "killed."The international visitor soon learns that it is considered very rude to be late—even by 10 minutes—for an appointment in the United States. (Whenever it is absolutely impossible to be on time, you should phone ahead and tell the person you have been unavoidably detained and will be a half hour—or whatever—late.)Time is so valued in America, because by considering time to be important one can clearly accomplish more that if one "wastes" time and does not keep busy. This philosophy has proven its worth. It has enabled Americans to be extremely productive, and productivity itself is highly valued in the United States. Many American proverbs stress the value in guarding our time, using it wisely, setting and working toward specific goals, and even expending our time and energy today so that the fruits of our labor may be enjoyed at a later time. (This latter concept is called "delayed gratification.")4. EQUALITY/EGALITARIANISMEquality is, for Americans, one of their most cherished values. This concept is so important for Americans that they have even given it a religious basis. They say all people have been "created equal." Most Americans believe that God views all humans alike without regard to intelligence, physical condition or economic status. In secular terms this belief is translated into the assertion that all people have an equal opportunity to succeed in life. Americans differ in opinion about how to make this ideal into a reality. Yet virtually all agree that equality is an4important civic and social goal.The equality concept often makes Americans seem strange to foreign visitors. Seven-eighths of the world feels quite differently. To them, rank and status and authority are seen as much more desirable considerations—even if they personally happen to find themselves near the bottom of the social order. Class and authority seem to give people in those other societies a sense of security and certainty. People outside the United States consider it reassuring to know, from birth, who they are and where they fit into the complex system called "society".Many highly-placed foreign visitors to the United States are insulted by the way they are treated by service personnel (such as waiters in restaurants, clerks in stores, taxi drivers, etc.). Americans have an aversion to treating people of high position in a deferential manner, and, conversely often treat lower class people as if they were very important. Newcomers to the United States should realize that no insult or personal indignity is intended by this lack of deference to rank or position in society. A foreigner should be prepared to be considered "just like anybody else" while in the country.5. INDIVIDUAL AND PRIVACYThe individualism that has been developed in the Western world since the Renaissance, beginning in the late 15th century, has taken its most exaggerated form in 20th century United States. Here, each individual is seen as completely and marvelously unique, that is, totally different from all other individuals and, therefore, particularly precious and wonderful. Americans think they are more individualist in their thoughts and actions than, in fact, they are. They resist being thought of as representatives of a homogenous group, whatever the group. They may, and do, join groups—in fact many groups—but somehow believe they’re just a little different, just a little unique, just a little special, from other members of the same group. And they tend to leave groups as easily as they enter them.Privacy, the ultimate result of individualism is perhaps even more difficult for the foreigner to comprehend. The word "privacy" does not even exist in many languages. If it does, it is likely to have a strongly negative connotation, suggesting loneliness or isolation from the group. In the United States, privacy is not only seen as a very positive condition, but it is also viewed as a requirement that all humans would find equally necessary, desirable and satisfying. It is not uncommon for Americans to say—and believe—such statements as "If I don’t have at least half an hour a day to myself, I will go stark raving mad."Individualism, as it exists in the United States, does mean that you will find a much greater variety of opinions (along with the absolute freedom to express them anywhere and anytime) here. Yet, in spite of this wide range of personal opinion, almost all Americans will ultimately vote for one of the two major political parties. That is what was meant by the statement made earlier that Americans take pride in crediting themselves with claiming more individualism than, in fact, they really have.6. SELF-HELP CONTROLIn the United States, a person can take credit only for what he or she has accomplished by himself or herself. Americans get no credit whatsoever for having been born into a rich family. (In the United States, that would be considered "an accident of birth.") Americans pride5themselves in having been born poor and, through their own sacrifice and hard work, having climbed the difficult ladder of success to whatever level they have achieved—all by themselves. The American social system has, of course, made it possible for Americans to move, relatively easily, up the social ladder.Take a look in an English-language dictionary at the composite words that have "self" as a prefix. In the average desk dictionary, there will be more than 100 such words, words like self-confidence, self-conscious, self-control, self-criticism, self-deception, self-defeating,self-denial, self-discipline, self-esteem, self-expression, self-importance, self-improvement, self-interest, self-reliance, self-respect, self-restraint, self-sacrifice—the list goes on and on. The equivalent of these words cannot be found in most other languages. The list is perhaps the best indication of how seriously Americans take doing things for one’s self. The "self-made man or women" is still very much the ideal in 20th-century America.7. COMPETITION AND FREE ENTERPRISEAmericans believe that competition brings out the best in any individual. They assert that it challenges or forces each person to produce the very best that is humanly possible. Consequently, the foreign visitor will see competition being fostered in the American home and in the American classroom, even on the youngest age level. Very young children, for instance, are encouraged to answer questions for which their classmates do not know the answer. You may find the competitive value disagreeable, especially if you come from a society that promotes cooperation rather than competition. But many U.S. Peace Corps volunteers teaching in Third World countries found the lack of competitiveness in a classroom situation equally distressing. They soon learned that what they thought to be one of the universal human characteristics represented only a peculiarly American (or Western) value.Americans, valuing competition, have devised an economic system to go with it—free enterprise. Americans feel strongly that a highly competitive economy will bring out the best in its people and, ultimately, that the society that fosters competition will progress most rapidly. If you look for it, you will see evidence in all areas—even in fields as diverse as medicine, the arts, education, and sports—that free enterprise is the approach most often preferred in America.8. FUTURE ORIENTATIONValuing the future and the improvements Americans are sure the future will bring means that they devalue that past and are, to a large extent, unconscious of the present. Even a happy present goes largely unnoticed because, happy as it may be, Americans have traditionally been hopeful that the future would bring even greater happiness. Almost all energy is directed toward realizing that better future. At best, the present condition is seen as preparatory to a latter and greater event, which will eventually culminate in something even more worthwhile. Since Americans have been taught (in value 1) to believe that Man, and not Fate, can and should be the one who controls the environment, this has made them very good at planning and executing short-term projects. This ability, in turn, has caused Americans to be invited to all corners of the earth to plan and achieve the miracles that their goal-setting can produce. If you come from a culture such as those in the traditional Moslem world, where talking about or actively planning the future is felt to be a futile, even sinful, activity, you will have not6only philosophical problems with this very American characteristic but religious objections as well. Yet it is something you will have to learn to live with, for all around you Americans will be looking toward the future and what it will bring.9. ACTION/WORK ORIENTATION"Don’t just stand there," goes a typical bit of American advice, "do something!" This expression is normally used in a crisis situation, yet, in a sense, it describes most American’s entire waking life, where action—any action—is seen to be superior to inaction.Americans routinely plan and schedule an extremely active day. Any relaxation must be limited in time, pre-planned, and aimed at "recreating" their ability to work harder and more productively once the recreation is over. Americans believe leisure activities should assume a relatively small portion of one’s total life. People think that it is "sinful" to "waste one’s time," "to sit around doing nothing," or just to "daydream."Such a "no nonsense" attitude toward life has created many people who have come to be known as "workaholics," or people who are addicted to their work, who think constantly about their jobs and who are frustrated if they are kept away from them, even during their evening hours and weekends.The workaholic syndrome, in turn, causes Americans to identify themselves wholly with their professions. The first question one American will ask another American when meeting for the first time is related to his or her work: "Where do you work?," or "Who (what company) are you with?"And when such a person finally goes on vacation, even the vacation will be carefully planned, very busy and active.America may be one of the few countries in the world where it seems reasonable to speak about the "dignity of human labor," meaning by that, hard, physical labor. In America, even corporation presidents will engage in physical labor from time to time and gain, rather than lose, respect from others for such action.10. INFORMALITYIf you come from a more formal society, you will likely find Americans to be extremely informal, and will probably feel that they are even disrespectful of those in authority. Americans are one of the most informal and casual people in the world, even when compared to their near relative—the Western European.As one example of this informality, American bosses often urge their employees to call them by their first names and even feel uncomfortable if they are called by the title "Mr." or "Mrs." Dress is another area where American informality will be most noticeable, perhaps even shocking. One can go to a symphony performance, for example, in any large American city nowadays and find some people in the audience dressed in blue jeans and tieless,short-sleeved shirts.Informality is also apparent in American’s greetings. The more formal "How are you?" has largely been replaced with an informal "Hi." This is as likely to be used to one’s superior as to one’s best friend.If you are a highly placed official in your own country, you will probably, at first, find such7informality to be very unsettling. American, on the other hand, would consider such informality as a compliment! Certainly it is not intended as an insult and should not be taken as such.11. DIRECTNESS, OPENNESS AND HONESTYMany other countries have developed subtle, sometimes highly ritualistic, ways of informing other people of unpleasant information. Americans, however, have always preferred the first approach. They are likely to be completely honest in delivering their negative evaluations. If you come from a society that uses the indirect manner of conveying bad news or uncomplimentary evaluations, you will be shocked at Americans’ bluntness.If you come from a country where saving face is important, be assured that Americans are not trying to make you lose face with their directness. It is important to realize that an American would not, in such case, lose face. The burden of adjustment, in all cases while you are in this country, will be on you. There is no way to soften the blow of such directness and openness if you are not used to it except to tell you that the rules have changed while you are here. Indeed, Americans are trying to urge their fellow countrymen to become even more open and direct. The large number of "assertiveness" training courses that appeared in the United States in the late 1970s reflects such a commitment.Americans consider anything other than the most direct and open approach to be dishonest and insincere and will quickly lose confidence in and distrust anyone who hints at what is intended rather than saying it outright.Anyone who, in the United States, chooses to use an intermediary to deliver that message will also be considered manipulative and untrustworthy.12. PRACTICALITY AND EFFICIENCYAmericans have a reputation of being an extremely realistic, practical and efficient people. The practical consideration is likely to be given highest priority in making any important decision in the United States. Americans pride themselves in not being very philosophically or theoretically oriented. If Americans would even admit to having a philosophy, it would probably be that of pragmatism.Will it make any money? Will it "pay its own way?" What can I gain from this activity? These are the kinds of questions that Americans are likely to ask in their practical pursuit, not such questions as: Is it aesthetically pleasing? Will it be enjoyable?, or Will it advance the cause of knowledge?This practical, pragmatic orientation has caused Americans to contribute more inventions to the world than any other country in human history. The love of "practicality" has also caused Americans to view some professions more favorably than others. Management and economics, for example, are much more popular in the United States than philosophy or anthropology, law and medicine more valued than the arts.Another way in which this favoring of the practical makes itself felt in the United States, is a belittling of "emotional" and "subjective" evaluations in favor of "rational" and "objective" assessments. Americans try to avoid being too sentimental in making their decisions. They judge every situation "on its merits." The popular American "trail-and-error" approach to problem solving also reflects the practical. The approach suggests listing several possible8solutions to any given problem, then trying them out, one-by-one, to see which is most effective.13. MATERIALISM/ACQUISITIVENESSForeigners generally consider Americans much more materialistic than Americans are likely to consider themselves. Americans would like to think that their material objects are just the natural benefits that always result from hard work and serious intent—a reward, they think, that all people could enjoy were they as industrious and hard-working as Americans.But by any standard, Americans are materialistic. This means that they value and collect more material objects than most people would ever dream of owning. It also means they give higher priority to obtaining, maintaining and protecting their material objects than they do in developing and enjoying interpersonal relationships.The modern American typically owns:∙one or more color television sets,∙an electric hair dryer,∙an electronic calculator,∙a tape recorder and a record player,∙a clothes-washer and dryer,∙a vacuum cleaner,∙a powered lawn mower (for cutting grass),∙a refrigerator, a stove, and a dishwasher,∙one or more automobiles,∙and a telephone. Many also own a personal computer.Since Americans value newness and innovation, they sell or throw away their possessions frequently and replace them with newer ones. A car may be kept for only two or three years, a house for five or six before trading it in for another one.SUMMARYNow that we have discussed each of these 13 values separately, if all too briefly, let us look at them in list form (on the left) and then consider them paired with the counterpart values from a more traditional country (on the right):9。
美国价值观
AMERICAN VALUESIndividual Freedom | Choice in Education | The Family | Privacy | American Values - Online ResourcesIf you asked most Americans what the cultural values in the U.S. are, you might get some blank stares, or a statement of some basic beliefs. The question may seem simple, but the answer is quite complex. In a society as highly diverse as the United States, there is likely to be a multitude of answers.American culture has been enriched by the values and belief systems of virtually every part of the world. Consequently, it is impossible to be comprehensive. Nevertheless, a few selected values are at the core of the American value system.Individual FreedomThe one value that nearly every American would agree upon is individual freedom. Whether you call it individual freedom, individualism, or independence, it is the cornerstone of American values. It permeates every aspect of our society.The concept of an individual's having control over his/her own destiny influenced the type of government that was established here, and individual rights are guaranteed in the United States Constitution (the supreme law of the land).These rights are so protected in our judicial system that, even though Americans may complain that criminals sometimes "get away with murder," most people believe it is better to free a few guilty persons than to imprison one person who is innocent.While our economic system may be dominated by large corporations, the majority of American businesses are small, and many are owned by an individual or a family. It is part of the "American dream" to "be your own boss," and being an entrepreneur is one of the most appealing ways to improve one's economic future.Choice in EducationEducation is often regarded as the key to opportunity, including financial security. Americans take a pragmatic approach to learning, so what one learns outside the classroom through internships, extracurricular activities and the like is often considered as important as what is learned in the classroom. Consequently, lifelong learning is valued which results in many adult and continuing education programs.Americans have many choices. In school they decide their major field of study, perhaps with or without their parents' influence, and students even get to select some of their courses. These "elective" courses often confuse foreign students who may expect a more rigid curriculum.The belief that Americans should "be all that you can be" emanates from our Protestant heritage. Since the majority of the early settlers were Protestant, they believed that they had aresponsibility to improve themselves, to be the best they could be, to develop their talents, and to help their neighbors. These convictions have not only influenced our educational system, but are often reflected in U.S. foreign policy. What some might consider meddling in other people's affairs, others believe is fulfilling a moral obligation.The FamilyAnother aspect of American society that may bewilder non-Americans is the family. The nuclear family structure (parents and children) is so alien to most cultures in the world that it is often misunderstood. The main purpose of the American family is to bring about the happiness of each individual family member. The traditional family values include love and respect for parents, as well as for all members of the family.However, the emphasis on the individual and his/her right to happiness can be confusing. It allows children to disagree, even argue with their parents. While in most other cultures such action would be a sign of disrespect and a lack of love, that is not the case in the United States. It is simply a part of developing one's independence.Many foreign students and visitors are welcomed by host families, who invite them into their homes for dinner or to join in family activities. Frequently visitors are told to "make themselves at home" and, at times, may appear to be "left alone."It certainly is nice to be treated as an honored guest in someone's home, but one of the highest compliments that an American can give foreign guests is to treat them like members of the family, which means to give them the "freedom of the house" to do what they want, to "raid the refrigerator" on their own, or to have some quiet time alone.PrivacyPrivacy is also important to Americans. The notion of individual privacy may make it difficult to make friends. Because Americans respect one's privacy, they may not go much beyond a friendly "hello." Ironically, it is usually the foreigner who must be more assertive if a friendship is to develop.The rugged individualism valued by most Americans stems from our frontier heritage. For much of our country's history, there was a frontier. That experience greatly influenced American attitudes. Early settlers had to be self-sufficient which forced them to be inventive. Their success gave them an optimism about the future, a belief that problems could be solved. This positive spirit enables Americans to take risks in areas where others might only dream, resulting in tremendous advances in technology, health and science.The American frontier also created our heroes: the self-reliant, strong-willed, confident individual who preferred action to words and always tried to treat others fairly. Many of these characteristics are represented by the myth of the American cowboy, and the more modern versions personified in movies by John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Sylvester Stallone. We can even look to "future" centuries and admire similar qualities in the heroes of the Star Trek and Star Wars movie series.In addition to such basic American values as individual freedom, self-reliance, equality of opportunity, hard work, material wealth, and competition, we see a trend toward conservation with an emphasis on recycling and preserving the environment. Also there is a greatersensitivity to cooperation on a more global scale.No matter what changes the next century brings or whether you agree with American values, the opportunity to visit the United States and to observe Americans first-hand is an experience well worth the effort.Be careful not to be ethnocentric, but to evaluate a culture by its own standards. Be aware that you'll help shape American attitudes, just as they will influence you.About American ValuesAmerican Values is a non-profit organization committed to uniting the American people around the vision of our Founding Fathers. Centuries ago, our Founders boldly proclaimed to the world a distinctly American faith in democracy; a faith rooted in the self-evident truths that "all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and th e pursuit of happiness." We believe these liberties need to be uph eld and cherished, especially given how closely divided our country seems.American Values serves to remind the public of the conservative principles that are so fundamental to the survival of our nation and to b ring support and ideas to policy makers and empower our elected officials to have the support they need to d o what is right, noble and good.Our vision is a nation that embraces life, marriage, family, faith, and freedom. We work for streets without bullets, schools that p repare our children for success, laws that protect our people and a government that serves its citizens. We can get there. But we n eed to start now.Sadly, the culture of death continues to be promoted in our media, courts and legislatures. Millions of unborn children have been killed over the last 30 years as a result of our country’s selfishness, justified under the euphemisms of choice and privacy. Advances in science h ave brought about new challenges for those working to protect life. Embryonic stem cell research and cloning advocates borrow fro m the pro-abortion playbook by trying to confuse the public about the supposed benefits and dangerous realities of their research.American Values is deeply committed to defending life, traditional marriage and equipping our children with the values n ecessary to stand against liberal education and cultural forces. American Values is an endeavor that we hope will continue to strengthen the distinct Am erica that our Founding Fathers sought to create. And we hop e that you will join me in this effort.American Value: Equality∙Level:∙Grades 6 to 8∙Grades 9 to 12∙Subject:∙Reading and Language Arts∙Social StudiesAcross the political spectrum, most commentators identify "equality" as an Americanvalue. After all, the Constitution begins "We the People of the United States, in Order to forma more perfect Union" — a pronouncement that implies a group of individuals coming togetherto speak with equal voice and authority.In 1787, "People" really only meant "Free Persons," and "Free Persons" meant white m en.African Americans who were enslaved were deemed "other Persons," which, after muchdebate, the authors of the Constitution ultimately deemed "three-fifths" of a Free Person as a means to bolster Southern representation in Congress. And, at the time, white women were considered the property of their husbands and certainly unfit for public duty.Fortunately, our Constitution created a system of government that was bigger than theprivileged white men who wrote it, allowing our nation to correct its limited view of humanity through Constitutional amendments and other means.Help students examine this transformation by reading an original version of the Constitution;we suggest the National Archives' version, which highlights in red where changes ultimately were made. As students read the document, ask them to identify the following:∙In Article I, Section 2, what pronoun is used to refer to a "Representative"? To whom does "all other Persons" refer?∙In Article I, Section 3, what pronoun is used to refer to a "Senator"?∙In Article I, Section 7, and in Article II, Sections 1, 2 and 3, what pronouns are used to refer to the "President"?∙In Article IV, Section 2, what pronoun is used to refer to a person? To whom does "Person held to service or labor" refer?Next, introduce students to key Amendments that have expanded the meaning of "We":Amendments XIII, XIV and XV (abolishing slavery and guaranteeing African Americans equal protections under the law, ratified after the Civil War; the Amendments' promise wasn'tenforced, however, until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965), Amendment XIX (granting women the right to vote, ratified as a result of the suffrage movement) and Amendment XXIV (abolishing poll taxes that had been used to keep African Americans from voting, ratified as a result of the Civil Rights Movement).To close the activity, ask students to reflect verbally or in writing on how these Amendments have helped the U.S. become a "more perfect Union, establish Justice, [and] insure domestic Tranquility."Build on this lesson with the following activities:∙This summer, in a decision related to school integration, some members of the Supreme Court argued that our Constitution is "color-blind." Ask students to write an argumentative essayagreeing or disagreeing with this viewpoint.∙The field of contenders for the 2008 Presidential elections has been widely lauded for its diversity.Comedian Jon Stewart went so far as to ask Democratic contender John Edwards if he feltdisadvantaged as a white man. Using the Washington Post's listing of candidates, identify the sex, race and ethnicity of each candidate and then contrast "candidate demographics" againstdemographics of the U.S. population generally, using this chart. Which racial, ethnic and gender groups are over- or under-represented? How might these discrepancies relate to patterns ofinclusion and exclusion in "We" over time? What do they tell us about equality of access to our nation's political system?∙Echoing the language of the Fifteenth Amendment, the not-yet-ratified Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) declares, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." Students can explore the debate about the ERA, as well as the process by which our Constitution is amended, at CNN's Student News division.∙The Constitution mentions "Indians" twice — treating them as members of "non-taxed" (and thus non-represented) tribes with whom the federal government holds negotiation rights. The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 — legislative action, not an amendment — extended citizenship to Native Americans. Full enforcement of the Act was long and arduous, however; as late as 1989, forexample, the state of Montana was prohibiting tribal members from voting. How can American Indians be members of sovereign tribes and citizens of the U.S., with which tribes maintaintreaties? Engage in a classroom research project to discover the necessity — and development —of both treaties between these nation-states and the enfranchisement of Native Americans. A good place to begin is Native Vote: American Indians, the Voting Rights Act, and the Right to Vote by Daniel McCool, Susan M. Olson and Jennifer L. Robinson ($24.99, ISBN-10: 0521548713;ISBN-13: 978-0521548717).∙美国人的价值观∙∙∙2006-4-5 10:01:46 心情：? 天气：? 温度：? ℃∙∙记得1998年我参加过一项美国人对中国人价值观和美国人价值观的调查和对比（美国英语学会主办），他们让你说出你自己人生当中最看重的，然后再按照大家所说的几率排出中国人最看重的前十项，也就是中国人的价值观展示。
中美家庭价值观对比-英文版
Differences of Family Values Between China and AmericaAbstract :This paper tries to make a comparis on of differe nt family values betwee n China and US, which appeared in many fields, for instanee, the American emphasis the in dividualism but Chin ese focus on the collectivism, the relati on ship betwee n family members and their attitudes to each otheare also quite different, the life style in flue need by family values are varied. Reas on sfor these differe nces are complex, in clud ing differe nt customs, cultures and social backgro unds and so on.Key words: family values, life styles, cultures, differe nces.I」ntroductionFamily is the most basic unit of all human society. It reflects the ethical values of a society, its cultural characteristics and the unique features of a n ati on. People beg in to lear n anything about the world and their culture through the family they are brought up in. What you think, how you act, eve n your Ian guage, are all tran smitted through the family from the wider cultural con text.Family values are the core in the research of cultural values, and it has a huge in flue nee on people ' s thoughts and behaviors. So if we want to get a glimpse of the cultures of two different countries, it is necessary to know their different family values. In this paper we will analyze family values from different aspects, including the decisive family values, the attitude to the family members and their relationships, and the in flue nces of family values.n .The differences of family values.A. The individualism VS. the collectivismThe America n emphasize the pers onal in depe nden ce, while Chin ese emphasize on the whole family, not any in dividual member. Childre n in America have more freedom tha n that in Chi na. Their pare nts rarely in terfere with their private affairs, and usually try to enhance children a lls-around abilities when they are young. Theyhan die their own affairs themselves and try to get support from their colleagues or experts who work in the releva nt field, and their family members only give suggestions to them. The key pointof its society is freedom. Obviously, we Chinese pay more atte nti on to the in terest of whole family tha n that of any in dividual Ins.China, children usually live with their parents even after they are grown-up, since Chin ese people want a more un ited family and closer relati on ship betwee n family members. The living style in China is different compared with that in America. Chinese people like to live with their parents and they think this kind of living style may help them have more opport unity to un dersta nd other family members. This ki nd of liv ing style can n arrow the gap betwee n family members and whe n an ybody faces with a problem, the others can help him effectively and efficiently. The living style also reflects that Chin ese people ma in ly emphasize the whole family but not the in dividuals, which is quite differe nt from America ns.B. The attitude to the family members and their relationships in China and America.Chin ese people have a big family with variety of relatives, which may be easy to cause competition and suspicion. So in order to maintain order and family harmony, they particularly advocate show ing respect to their seni ority in the light of the theory of law and discipline rite of Confucius. And 'Act you role well' is the key to a harm onious family relati on ship. All the family members should be ran ked strictly and according to their position in the family hierarchy they would be treated separately and be required to do what they should do. So in traditi onal Chin ese family, the elder is highly respected. Pare nts bring up their childre n, the n after pare nts are gett ing old, it is their children re s ponsibility and duty to care for them and give them bothmaterial and spiritual support. In the traditional Chinese family, father was always the cen tre. It is not because the feudal con cept that man is superior to woma n, but also for what man has earned is the main source of family ' s incoming and usually man earns more money tha n woma n. And woma n is resp on sible for the family house worki ng. Though most household affairs are solved and decided by mother, the most importa nt thing related to the whole family are determined by father. Between parents and childre n, pare nts are give n more privilege and right to con trol their childre n. To most Chin ese pare nts, a good child means to be obedie nt and docile. It is no rmal for pare nts to arrange everythi ng for their childre n.To America ns, it is no rmal that pare nts and childre n are separate; re union is abno rmal. Pare nts bring up childre n and the childre n con ti nue to raise the offspri ng, so the aged is expelled to the society. For the attitude to bring up the children, American parents consider thatthey have the legal liability, but in a sense, the childre n should take resp on sibility for their behaviors. America ns sniff at the con cept of filial piety and think it restrains their self-awareness and ego-development. Parents and their childre n don't n eed depe ndency relati on ship. In con trast, they should establish a ki nd of allowa nce system so as to in still the basic con cept of self-dig nity and self-love into their childre n. As a result, although childre n would be grateful for their pare nts' favors, they do not think they have the obligati on to pay back. In America, if the parents still live together with their adult children, they should pay board wages and accommodation fee to children. And the same to their adult children who still live with their pare nts.The primary purpose of an America n family is to adva nce the happ in ess, the equality and the freedom of every family member. America ns praise self-ce ntered and deal with the family members and family affairs rati on ally. For the sake of themselves, they deem that family should make sacrifice. Family ' honor and unity are less importa nt tha n that in Chin ese society .In an America n family, the democratic idea of equality is prevale nt. Father and mother have equal right to make decisi on on family affairs and their childre n are give n right to vote.C. Comparison of life style influenced by family values1. Different Financial StyleIn Chi na, family members are finan cially depe ndent that is to say all of the family members should help each other, especially when he or she meets the financial problems, which seems that people have the responsibility for helping their family members to overcome the difficulties. During the daily life , children should take care of their old parents financially even parents have the possibility to rely on themselves. In America, family members are finan cially in depe ndent. America ns appreciate the individuality which requires them at first to get an independent financial freedom. That means they do not rely on their parents or family members when they grow up. Sometimes American thinks it is a kind of shame to be supported by their kind red members. That is the reas on why in the case the father and the son felt at ease whe n they bought tickets for each other.2. Different Life StyleIn China , a stable life style is much appreciated by people. As it has already been discussed above, the strong family tie in China has been taken its shape for thousand years long. Family members and relatives prefer to live together in terms of convenience which could reflect theChinese “ guanxi vividly. Even after the implementation of Open Policy from 1980s, though the traditional lifestyle is in flue nces a lot, people still want to live as close as possible to their family members relatives and friends. However, in America , there is no such a strong family tie as same as that in China therefore, their life style are very mobile. Meanwhile, this life style is also in flue need by their pers onal values, such as self-relia ncehard work, and a tie between achieving success in life personal achievement etc which encourage America ns to work all of the world for achiev ing their career goals and success.3. Different Public FestivalsThere are several festivals which come of family unity in Chin ese official holidays, such as Spring FestivaJ Tomb-sweeping Day, Qixi Jie and Mid-autumn Festival. The most important festival is the Spring Festival existing in the history for almost over 2000 years long. During this festival, all family and relatives get together, which is the very precious cha nee for people to enl arge and stre ngthe n family ties. In America, Chiristmas Day , Hallow-mas , Saint Vale nti ne's Day Than ksgi ving Day are the most important holidays coming of Christianity. The most significant festival is the Christmas Day. Before the festival , all America ns also come back from their works for this big day; however , this festival is much more religious for the family members eve n though they do have the activities of family reunion.川.ConclusionThe cultural differe nces betwee n Chi na and America are reflected in almost all aspects of family life. The prese nt study focuses on various major aspects such as the differe nt family decisive values , differe nt family relati on ship and attitudes, and in flue nces caused by family values. It 'not just simply listi ng some phe nomena and an alyz ing the cultural expla nati on . The in ten ti on of the study is to promote a better un dersta nding betwee n Chin ese and America n people by compari ng the family values. We would like to say if we want to live peacefully and harm onio usly un der the same roof, the best thi ng we must do is to make an un dersta nding betwee n Chin ese people and America n people. Mean while, a good un dersta nding of the differe nee will surely facilitate the cross-cultural com muni cati on of two peoples.【Refere nces[1] HALL, E, F. The Hidden Dimension[M]. New York: double-day. 1996.[2] Sta nley, Haverwas. A Commu nity of Character[M]. Cambridge, 1984.。
美国中产阶级定义的六个指标
中产阶级概念在中国无疑是个舶来品，因为这词是美国人发明的，但到现在，连美国人自己也说不清楚什么是中产阶级。
亚洲开发银行最近的一份报告称，中国目前的中产阶级人数已达8.17亿，结果让中国人哗然，大声疾呼中国人“被中产了”。
按照亚行的定义，每天消费2美元以上的人都可以算作是中产阶级，一年消费730美元，也就是人民币5000元左右，看起来国人成为小中产已成易如反掌之事。
不论在哪一个国家，中产阶级的定义和定位，都不会简单地归结为仅看收入或是消费这样纯粹以钱的指标上。
在一个社会中，作为一个阶层就不仅是看你一年能挣多少。
在美国，中产阶级的定位要看教育程度、所从事的职业、经济地位以及社会影响力等。
上层中产阶级大都接受过高等教育，从事的工作以白领为主，主要集中在科学技术、职业性职业、医疗教育、大众传媒、工程等领域。
大学教授、医生、工程师、律师、建筑师、记者、公司的中层主管、作家、经济学家、政治学家、财务经理、高中教师、高级护士、药剂师、分析师等是人们最常见的上层中产阶级成员。
而公司下层管理人员、销售员、秘书等则是典型的下层中产阶级。
说到美国的中产阶级还有另外一种比喻，按社会地位来分，中产阶级上有富人、下有穷人，中产阶级夹在中间，就如同三明治一样，所以现在的美国中产阶级也被称之为“三明治一代”。
按照老百姓的说法，中产阶级不属于富人，但也不是穷人，就是不穷不富中间的一批人。
奥巴马上任后，面临经济危机的挑战，中产阶级也受到冲击，因此美国政府展开了“拯救中产阶级”行动。
美国的媒体和专家也承认，对于中产阶级的定义并无统一的财务上的标准，仅靠收入和消费的指标界定中产阶级是不准确的。
因此，美国现在比较流行的界定中产阶级家庭标准是看生活状况和水平，其中有6项财务指标可以作为考核一个家庭是否进入中产阶级的指标。
第一，是否拥有住宅。
美国梦说穿了很简单：一幢房子两辆车，养两个孩子都能上大学。
这年头在哪个国家都一样，没房绝对成不了中产阶级。
American values美国人的价值观 在公平竞争方面 全英文
American valuesI want to talk about equal chance-based opportunity to start from scratch and achieve success through fair competition.Equality of opportunity and competition is one of the basic American values. Americans believe in the ideal, as stated in their Declaration of Independence, that "all men are created equal". Although they sometimes violate the ideal in their daily lives, Americans have a deep faith that in some fundamental way all people are of equal value, that no one is born superior to anyone else. They have felt that because individuals are free from excessive political, religious, and social controls, they have a better chance for success. Particularly important is the lack of the hereditary aristocracy,It is important to understand what Americans mean when they say they believe in equality of opportunity. They do not mean that everyone should be totally equal. However, they do mean that each individual should have an equal chance for success. American thinks highly of the persons who gain success by their hardworking, instead of relying on the family. In America, you can often see the person who is in low profile, while he (or she) is a relative of a successful person.。
2021学年高考英语三轮复习天天练：Day127选5阅读理解附答案解析
高考英语三轮复习天天练Day 12 7选5阅读理解Passage 1文体：说明文词数：377 限时：8分钟Family ValuesTo understand a nation, you should first get to know its minimum unit—family. 1In the US, upon reaching an appropriate age, children arethe nest” and begin an independent encouraged, but not forced, to “leavelife. 2 Parents do not arrange marriages for their children, nor do children usually ask permission of their parents to get married. Young adults meet their future spouses(配偶) through other friends, at jobs, andin organizations and religious institutions. Although children choose their own spouses, they still hope their parents will approve of their choices.Parents feel that children should make major life decisions by themselves in many families. A parent may try to influence a child to follow a particular profession but the child is free to choose another job.business3 A son may deliberately decide not to go into his father’sbecause of a fear that he will lose his independence in his father’s workplace. This independence from parents is not an indication that parents and children do not love each other. Strong love between parentsand children is universal and this is no exception in the American family.4 It is not like we Chinese. Parents are rulers and masters. WeChinese love our parents with fear and total respect. In America, childrenalways have their own opinions and even can talk about some sensitiveproblems with their parents, like family financial situation, therelationship between mother and father, and even sex.5 Therefore, it is contrary that, on one hand, Americans admire independence and equality that they don’t want to make sacrifice to make up a family, but on the other hand, Americans think highly of family intheir value system.A.In the American family, children and parents are equal.B.It can reflect the traditional values and customs of a nation.C.When it comes to big problems, children do not have to always followtheir parents’ ways.D.After children leave home, they often find social relationship andfinancial support outside the family.E.Although Americans pay much attention to independence and equality,they don’t believe in making sacrifice.F.Sometimes children do precisely the opposite of what their parents wishin order to declare their independence.G.Many of them are expected to leave what could be life’s most impodecision—marriage almost entirely up to luck.Passage 2文体：说明文词数：252 限时：7分钟How to Sleep BetterIf you’re having trouble getting good sleep through the night (turning, waking up more than once, for example), this text will tell youwhat you can do to ensure a peaceful night’s sleep.1.Get on schedule. Changing your sleeping time by more than anhour can severely disturb your sleep quality. 1 For example, if younormally wake up at 6 a.m. on weekdays to get to work, you might go tobed around 10 p.m., because that’s when you start to feel sleepy, and it also a good time to ensure 8 hours of sleep. If, on the weekend, you sleepuntil 9 a.m., you probably won’t be able to fall asleep that night until 1a.m.2. 2 Wait at least three hours after dinner before going to sleep.Digestion slows down while asleep, and a full stomach may interruptsleep. Similarly, you should avoid going to bed with an empty stomach,as a completely empty stomach may equally disturb your sleepingpatterns.3. 3 Exposure to light during the time when you’re supposed to be sleeping can disrupt your body’s internal clock. Turn your light off, or use a very dim night light 4 They include windows, LED clocks,computer lights and cable boxes.4.Change your sleeping position. You may think that it’s imposs to control what position you sleep in since you aren’t fully aware of w you are doing, but it is possible and it can make a considerable difference.5A.Try to avoid all sources of light.B.Keep the room as dark as possible.C.Make note of unusual circumstances.D.Be mindful of what you eat or drink before bed.E.Sleep is considered to be adequate only when there is no daytimesleepiness.F.In other words, sudden change of sleeping time will affect your“biological clock”.G.So if you wake up in the middle of the night, make an effort to have acomfortable position.Passage 3文体：说明文词数：233 限时：7分钟Although different universities in the US have different admissionspolicies, most determine admission based on several standards, includinghigh school course of study, high school Grade Pointa student’sAverage(GPA), participation in activities, SAT or ACT exam scores, awritten essay, and possibly a personal interview.The university admissions office considers whether a student hastaken courses in high school that, have prepared him or her for morehigh school GPA is also considered.difficult coursework. A student’s1 Each letter grade is assigned a number of points: A=4 points, B=3,C=2, D=1 and F=0 point. A GPA is calculated by adding all of the pointsearned for each course grade and dividing the total points by the total number of courses taken. 2Universities prefer to see applications from high school studentswho have engaged in activities in their spare time, such as clubs, athleticteams and student government. 3Most students in the US take the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACTduring their final year of high school. Each university sets a minimumSAT or ACT score that a student must achieve in order to be admitted.These are standardized quantitative examinations. The SAT tests critical reading, math and writing skills. 4Students are often required to write an essay as part of the application process. 5 The applicants may also be required to havea personal interview with a representative from the admissions office.A.A student who fails a required course must repeat the course.B.A GPA is a figure representing a student’s accumulated grades.C.Each admissions office determines the length and content of the essay.D.For example, a GPA of 3.0 is a “B” average for all of the courses taken.E.A student graduates after he or she has successfully passed all therequired courses.F.The ACT tests English, math, reading, science reasoning and optionalwriting.G.Voluntary participation in these activities shows students have learnedvaluable life lessons.Passage 4文体：说明文词数：234 限时：7分钟Americans use the term “college students” to refer to students either in colleges or universities. Not only that, Americans almost never sayThat sounds“going off to university” or “when I was in university”.British. 1 College, university：what’s the difference? 2 Bothoffer undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, for example. Andboth can help prepare young people to earn a living. But many collegesdo not offer graduate studies. Another difference is that universities aregenerally bigger. 3Another place of higher education, especially in technical areas, i san institute, like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Yet even aninstitute of technology can offer a wide choice of programs and activities.Modern universities developed from those of Europe in the MiddleAges. The word “university” came from the Latin university, describing a group of people organized for a common purpose.4 In England, colleges were formed to provide students withplaces to live. Usually each group was studying the same thing. Socollege came to mean an area of study.The first American universities divided their studies into a number ofareas and called each one a college. This is still true. 5 For example,Harvard College is the undergraduate part of Harvard University.Programs in higher learning can also be called schools, like a schoolof engineering or a medical school within a college or university. Youknow, learning all these terms is an education in itself.A.There are more universities than colleges in the USA.B.A college can also be part of a university.C.“College” came from collegium, a Latin word with a similar meaning.D.They offer more programs and do more research.E.Universities and colleges offer students different opportunities.F.Colleges and universities have many things in common.G.Instead, they say “going off to college” or “when I was in college答案及解析Passage 1【语篇导读】本文介绍了美国家庭的价值观，他们崇尚独立和平等，虽然不愿意为家庭做出牺牲，但是在他们的价值体系中，家庭仍然是不可或缺的。
American values 美国人的价值观
你應該幫助別人並且 善待别人。你希望別 人怎麼對待你，你就對自己的決 定負責。每一個人都 是獨一無二而且對於 自己與他們的差異感 到驕傲。
Personal Freedom
The individual has rights that society and the government cannot violate or ignore. A person has the freedom to make his/her own choices.
每個人都準時完成工 作並且有效率地執行 份內的事情。產品也 必須達到高規格的標 凖。時間就是金錢, 所以你必須將工作做 好。認真工作的態度 造就了夢想的實踐， 並且絕不輕言放棄。
Creativity and Inventiveness
An individual should always experiment and try new things. To succeed (in whatever it is you want to do in life), you have to be willing to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from your mistakes to do better in the future.
每個個體都有免於被 社會和政府干擾或忽 視的權利，有自己做 決定的自由。
Hard work and Determination
An individual finishes work on time and works efficiently. The final product meets high standards. Time is money, so you must do a good job. Hard work results in achieving your dreams. Never give up.
美国人的价值观(英文版)课件
要点一
要点二
Entertainment
Americans enjoy a wide range of entertainment options, including movies, music, and television shows. The entertainment industry is a major contributor to the US economy.
VS
Americans believe in the power of community and the importance of giving back. Many Americans volunteer their time and resources to serve their communities.
06
Conclusion
Individualism: Americans value the individual and believe that everyone has the right to pursue their own happiness and success. This often leads to a strong focus on personal growth, self-expression, and personal freedom.
从好莱坞经典电影中解读美国人的家庭观
A Probe into American Family Values on the Study
of Classical Hollywood Movies
作者： 杨晓燕
作者机构： 河南科技大学外国语学院,河南洛阳471003
出版物刊名： 安阳工学院学报
页码： 88-90页
年卷期： 2014年 第5期
主题词： 美国电影;无孝顺思想;跨文化认知能力
摘要：本文通过对不同时期的三部奥斯卡获奖电影的认真解读发现中美家庭观的巨大差异。
中国的传统文化强调儿女对父母尽孝的美德,而美国人则推崇平等、独立的家庭关系。
而集体主义价值观极易导致中国受众对美国电影中美国人无孝思想的误读。
在当今经济和文化全球化的大潮下,提高中国受众的跨文化认知能力至关重要。
只有超越自己文化的限制才能更好地了解异质文化,最终达到知己知彼,实现顺利地跨文化交流的目的。
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Study comparing 1976, 1986, & 2007:
Self-Respect increased Sense of Security decreased
Society more selfconfidant and indivator
Traditional Beliefs
Opposition to pre-marital sex Opposition to same-sex marriage Belief in traditional home-based roles for women Belief in Christian-based values Opposition to some elements of feminism Opposition to abortion while actively supporting abstinence education Belief in adoption as an alternative to abortion Belief in programs and public policies that shield children from exploitation Opposition to separation of church and state Belief in father as head-of-household
Traditionally
The man is the breadwinner. The woman is the caretaker of the home and children. Raising their biological children and teaching them the American Values: Freedom, Hard Work, Competitive.
The Change
The traditional family has been changing over the last century (1900), but especially since the 1950s. The Republican Party has adopted that they represent “traditional” family values since the 1980s. Democrats are more broad in their definition of the family and focus more working family values.
So…they have changed…?
1998 Study: 52% of women and 42% of men --"loving, taking care of, and supporting each other" 38% of women and 35% of men --"knowing right from wrong and having good values" 2% of women and 1% men -"traditional family" The survey noted that 93% of all women thought that society should value all types of families
Democrats
They don’t define the family in the traditional sense, or use it to promote conservative morality. They promote: Alternative family structures (Same-Sex Couples, SingleParent Housholds, Adoption of children by gay couples) Acces to contraception and abortion Living wage Sex eduction Social Programs Financial Aid for familes
Republicans
They use it to attract the socialy conservative, tying it in with the
nuclear family and (most of the time) Christian values. These values include: opposition to sex outside of marriage Traditional gender roles No Gay Marriage Anti-Abortion Conservative legislation and education policies
Interesting Findings
Population studies have found that in 2004 and 2008, liberal-voting ("blue") states have lower rates of divorce and teenage pregnancy than conservative-voting ("red") states. June Carbone, author of Red Families vs. Blue Families, opines that the driving factor is that people in liberal states tend to wait longer before getting married. A 2002 government survey found that 95% of adult Americans had had premarital sex. The median age of first premarital sex has dropped in that time (1950s) from 20.4 to 17.6.
Both Agree:
Loving and supporting family unit the one Good morales and strong attributes in their children
Concluseion
There are differences between the “traditiona” and “modern” values and definition of the American family. Yet they still uphold the core American Values, e.g. self-expression, independence, hard-work, competitive, self-reliance….
American Family Values
American Society and Culture May 2015 Tianhua College
What Does It Mean?
When asked about their family values, most people find it difficult to define. In today’s age, the very definition of family varies. The “values” are the beliefs and morales that are important to that family.
Contemporary Beliefs
Support for the universal living wage model to improve livelihood Belief in acceptance of non-traditional families that may include same-sex and polygamous long-term relationships, as well as single-parent families Belief in a woman's right to abortion Belief in Planned Parenthood programs that offer contraception Belief in government-funded financial aid to families Support for sex education in public schools Belief in practicing and teaching tolerance, patience and understanding for alternative lifestyles Belief in universal healthcare and family-friendly employment laws (maternity leave, personal leave, emergency family leave) Support for freedom of religion