Some American psychological traits [Part 2]

Relaxed - Americans don't change their words when speaking to superiors. The American mindset of self-improvement begins with self-love.

An American family. (Source: williamperaceblog)

Relaxed – Americans don't change their language when speaking to superiors; slang is always acceptable. They dress casually. They sit comfortably in chairs, leaning against the wall, with their feet propped up on their desks. But there are limits. At home, they must sit upright; slang is forbidden when speaking to a judge. A boss entering an employee's office and sitting with their feet on the desk shows a friendly and equal relationship; however, if an employee does the same, it's considered excessive. While teachers may be informal and relaxed (asking students to call them informally, like "Call me Janet" = just call me Gianit), this doesn't mean students can be overly familiar.

Some researchers have observed that Americans are the opposite of the Japanese: Americans appear very "open," relaxed, and friendly on the surface, but are inwardly reserved. Every American says they want to live comfortably.

In reality, they sometimes do the opposite. They meticulously clean their houses, eat dinner at exactly 6 o'clock, and don't receive strangers… If they sit still, they feel restless and have to do something. A group of Italian journalists who lived the fast-paced lifestyle in America for six months complained: "My God, we don't understand how Americans can keep going on and on with such relentless activity."

…Relaxed but planned, everything is anticipated (including career, children, retirement), weekly and monthly schedules are filled with plans (personal plans may even outweigh social interactions).

The aspirational mindset – The aspirational mindset of Americans begins with self-love. Due to the intense competitive environment and the failure to achieve their goals, many people, especially women, suffer from mental breakdowns.

Foreigners often assume that Americans create their own problems. They have enough to eat, jobs, what more could they ask for! They don't realize that wealth can create unique problems. "Having money isn't everything." Although many Americans know this, they still think that having a little more money could make things much better. There might be a problem in American culture: the individual's focus on self-improvement can lead to the neglect of many important aspects of life.

Methods of Self-Cultivation - Popular psychology in America produces a mass-produced book on cultivating "personal happiness," teaching the right way to think for success in life. Americans are already quite selfish, yet these "philosophical" books still teach about "thinking only of oneself," such as: How to Say No Without Hesitation, No Longer Dependent on Each Other, Women Who Love Too Much.

For half a century, the best-selling guide has been Dale Carnegie's *How to Make Friends and Influence People* . Weekend classes using that method, or many others, train students in techniques for becoming happy, wealthy, sexually fulfilled, and so on.

Therapists - In other countries, when experiencing mental instability or anxiety, people often turn to friends and family. In the US, people seek out therapists (psychoanalysts, psychologists, college graduates with family therapy degrees, or social work graduates). They believe these professionals have deep expertise and are therefore effective. They are willing to pay $80 per hour for psychological therapy. The therapy may not be effective, but they certainly feel better; for some, it's just one of the other options.

Physical exercise – Some people also treat or prevent illness this way. After several generations of being accustomed to driving cars and living in single-story houses, Americans may have lost their sense of physical well-being. A decade ago, doctors discovered that post-industrial civilization had created physically unsuitable individuals; the hearts and muscles of Americans were not as strong; it seems that American men were more prone to sudden death.

To remedy these deficiencies, people practice aerobic exercise (increasing their heart rate for a period of time to force the heart to work fully, stimulating the brain to produce tranquilizers) and many other methods: endurance running, stationary cycling, swimming, dancing, etc.

Diet - Half of American women consider themselves overweight. In a country where everyone eats a lot, everyone wants to look slim, so never call an American fat. Americans, especially women, follow diet plans to lose weight, only to chase it again. There are two best-selling types of books: one teaches cooking, the other teaches fasting. The rate of pot bellies is quite high in America. There's a misconception about pot bellies: that they're due to metabolic problems, not gluttony.

The veneration of youth – In a young country, people believe in youth, thinking that young people have more new ideas and techniques. Some young people, upon noticing a few gray hairs, immediately dye them. Subconsciously, the notion exists that "new" means "better." There's a talented editor who's disappointed in her career simply because, at 40, she hasn't been given the position of editor-in-chief; she believes she'll have little chance because most newspapers look for editors-in-chief aged 35 or younger.

Anti-aging and facial rejuvenation surgery have become popular among the middle class. Skincare companies sell millions of dollars worth of anti-wrinkle creams, with questionable effectiveness. Gray hair is rare because so many people dye their hair. Older people, though they don't wear mini-skirts, still wear many brightly colored clothes. Everyone wants to be complimented on looking young.

Old age is often seen as the age when one has stopped contributing. In a society that values success, those who have stopped contributing receive little attention. Nevertheless, there are still elderly people who contribute, travel, and take action.

There are people who are admired by young people for their life experience. American society will have to pay much more attention to the elderly who lack money and good health.

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