Cultural traits are all about the individual characteristics that form a group and influence its environment. Once cultural traits are created, they are transmitted to other people. They serve as a replication unit that can be modified and molded to become a part of cultural society.
Every nation has something unique that sets it apart. The unique thing we are talking about here is cultural traits. It is due to these traits that most people dream about living in America.
America is a place where dreams are nourished. This has only been possible due to the cultural trait that allows America to dream about nurturing the environment.
What Cultural Traits Define America?
Four supporting pillars of America have been standing strong since the first day of the American Revolution: freedom, equality, individualism, and growth. These four pillars are the core of American cultural traits.
These traits are what make America the most powerful and free nation in the world. Let’s discuss these cultural traits in detail.
1. Freedom
Americans feel strongly about their freedom as individuals. The sense of freedom lies deep inside the points they do not like when other individuals and the government meddle with their personal life affairs.
Freedom means Americans have full control over their destiny without any outside interference. The desire to be free from everything was a core value of the founding of the new nation of America in 1776. Since then, this value has continued to attract immigrants to this country.
However, freedom comes with a cost: Self-Reliance. Individuals must learn to rely on themselves or risk losing their freedom. Every individual must take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
2. Equality
Equality might be America’s most influential cultural trait, which attracts immigrants from all over the world. America is considered to be the best place to enjoy equality, and people believe that it gives everyone success.
Generations of immigrants have come to America, knowing that it is an environment free from political, religious, and social influences and offers better chances to enjoy success.
The title of nobility is forbidden in America, which restricts the nation from building any class system. This belief of Americans has been attracting immigrants from its early days. In the early days, many European immigrants came to America in the hope of succeeding and freeing themselves from the binding of social status.
3. Informality
The notion of freedom and treating everyone equally has made Americans informal. When you start talking with an American, you will find how informal they are while adhering to you.
When you visit America, you will see store clerks and waiters introducing themselves by their first name and treating their customers with a friendlier approach.
Most people get quite confused on their first visit to America and find the informal approach quite disrespectful. Well, these are the people who belong to nations where there is no such concept as ” all people are created equal.”
Formal speech and body language are reserved for only formal events. Other than that, Americans slouch on chairs and lean on the wall while talking with others.
4. Individualism
Perhaps individuality is the most visible of all cultural traits in America. All Americans believe that they are a single building block of America supporting American pillars. Every American is trained from childhood to prioritize individuality.
Individuality means that Americans are responsible for themselves and their actions. The roots of individuality lie deep, to the point that Americans are expected to take care of themselves after they are 18. This is why almost all Americans leave their parent’s house once they are in college.
You can even say that they are not trained to closely-knit themselves to form groups, tribes, or nations.
5. Work Ethics
We have talked about how Americans can be informal and believe in equality and individualism, but when it comes to work ethics, they can be very professional. Americans are focused creatures when it comes to work.
We only consider the Japanese to be workaholics but forget to notice that Americans share the same work cultural traits. Most people who visit from different nations feel that Americans work too much.
The work ethic in America is talked about worldwide. Americans believe that keeping themselves busy is a good thing. The work ethic is deeply rooted in their culture. In fact, the people who take care of the home are called “HomeMakers” and are respected for this occupation as much as any others.
The Contribution of Indian Immigrants in Shaping American Culture
American culture has been greatly influenced by Indian immigrants, as they introduced many different traditions, values, and groundbreaking ideas into the United States.
In the past hundred years, Indian Americans have had an impact on different aspects of American society, such as the arts and sciences, food, politics, etc.
Yoga and meditation, two of India’s most widespread forms of health, show how much Indian culture influences the United States.
The same food forms part of America’s diet because it has a rich taste coupled with different seasonings, hence depicting the society’s cookery background.
In the entertainment industry, Indian Americans have created a path in Hollywood and the music industry, showcasing the narratives and rhythms from their culture to the international crowd.
Their dedication to attaining quality in profession and education has seen them significantly engage in areas such as technology, medicine, and business, a move that has indeed played a great role in driving innovation as well as boosting the economy.
In addition, various American people celebrate Indian festivals in a manner that demonstrates their rich heritage.
These festivals promote the idea of oneness between different people by encouraging all of them to embrace all cultures, thus preaching multiplicity and incorporation.
Through social change and activism, Indian Americans have also advocated for civil liberties and contributed to political dialogue. Their involvement in American democracy has been instrumental in defining the values and priorities of the nation, whether through voting, running for office, or engaging in policy debates.
Something to Call Home: The ‘American Dream’ of Indian Immigrants
For many individuals, including Indian migrants, having a residence in the US is a significant aspiration. This signifies their success and their acceptance in the US as a whole. Moreover, especially for migrants from India, the process of getting there is really difficult.
First of all, buying a home in the United States can be quite expensive. Indian immigrants usually begin work with low-paid employment; hence, it takes them a long time to accumulate the required amount of money to purchase their own homes.
In addition, there are different ways to purchase a house, which they have to get acquainted with since they differ from their native countries
And then there’s the problem of settling somewhere that just feels right. Indian immigrants may seek communities with other Indian families or those with excellent schools for their children. But there might not be many houses available in certain areas, or the prices might be too exorbitant.
One significant obstacle is the documentation. A solid job and a high credit score are prerequisites for purchasing a home. When immigrants move to the United States, they have to start their credit history from the beginning. This may complicate the process of obtaining a home loan.
Immigrants from India occasionally experience prejudice. Due to their foreign nationality, they may receive unjust treatment from lenders or dealers. This may exacerbate the difficulties already associated with purchasing a home.
However, Indian immigrants are renowned for their tenacity and will. They put in a lot of work, save money, and support one another. Many look to their communities for help, seeking guidance and support from others who have previously purchased homes.
Take Away
When it comes to the multifaceted nature of American culture, it would be right to say that the immigrants have shaped it to a much larger extent. They have positively and diversely contributed to America’s overall society and culture.
In this way, people from all over the world have enriched the American way of life, education, customs, and togetherness and largely contributed to the progressive evolution of the United States’ culture.
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