2. Equality

Americans are also distinctive in the degree to which they 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, particularly in matters of interracial relationships, Americans have a deep faith that in some fundamental way all people (at least all American people) are of equal value, that no one is born superior to anyone else. “One man, one vote,” they say, conveying the idea that any person’s opinion is as valid and worthy of attention as any other person’s opinion.

Americans are generally quite uncomfortable when someone treats them with obvious deference. They dislike being the subjects of open displays of respect – being bowed to, being deferred to, being treated as though they could do no wrong or make no unreasonable requests.

It is not just males who are created equal, in the American conception, but females too. While Americans often violate the idea in practice, they do generally assume that women are the equal of men, deserving of the same level of respect. Women, according to the viewpoint of the feminists who since the 1970’s have been struggling to get what they consider a “fair shake” for females in the society, may be different from men but are in no way inferior to them.

This is not to say that Americans make no distinctions among themselves as a result of such factors as sex, age, wealth, or social position. They do. But the distinctions are acknowledged in subtle ways. Tone of voice, order of speaking, choice of words, seating arrangements – such are the means by which Americans acknowledge status differences among themselves. People of higher status are more likely to speak first, louder, and longer. They sit at the head of the table, or in the most comfortable chair. They feel free to interrupt other speakers more than others feel free to interrupt them. The higher status person may put a hand on the shoulder of the lower status person; if there is touching between the people involved, the higher status person will touch first.

Foreigners who are accustomed to more obvious displays of respect (such as bowing, averting eyes from the face of the higher status person, or using honorific titles) often overlook the ways in which Americans show respect for people of higher status. They think, incorrectly, that Americans are generally unaware of status differences and disrespectful of other people. What is distinctive about the American outlook on the matter of equality are the underlying assumptions that no matter what his or her initial station in life, any individual has the potential to achieve high standing and that everyone, no matter how unfortunate, deserves some basic level of respectful treatment.

Equality

Closely related to individualism is the American value of equality, which is emphasized in everything from government (“All men are created equal”) to social relationships (“Just call me by my first name”). The value of equality is prevalent in both primary and secondary social relationships: for instance, most of the primary social relationships within a family tend to advance equality rather than hierarchy; and friendships, co-worker relationships, and other kinds of secondary relationships are characterized by equality.

As we shall see later in this chapter, the value of equality in American social relationships creates communication problems in intercultural settings. Americans like to treat others as equals and prefer to be treated in the same manner when they interact in business or social environments. People from cultures that have rigid, hierarchical social structures therefore find it disconcerting to work with Americans: they negate the value of such hierarchical structures by asking advice of subordinates and talking about personal matters in public.

Sources:

Althen, Gary. American Ways: A Guide for Foreigners in the United States. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, 1988, pp. 8-9.

Samovar, Larry A., and Richard E. Porter. Communication between Cultures. New York: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1995, p. 85.

3. INFORMALITY

   Their notions of equality lead Americans to be quite informal in their general behavior and in their relationships with other people. Store clerks and waiters, for example, may introduce themselves by their first [given] names and treat customers in a casual, friendly manner. American clerks, like other Americans, have been trained to believe that they are as valuable as any other people, even if they happen to be engaged at a given time in an occupation that others might consider lowly. This informal behavior can outrage foreign visitors who hold high stations in countries where it is not assumed that “all men are created equal.”

People from societies where general behavior is more formal than it is in America are struck by the informality of American speech, dress, and posture. Idiomatic speech (commonly called “slang”) is heavily used on most occasions, with formal speech reserved for public events and fairly formal situations. People of almost any station in life can be seen in public wearing jeans, sandals, or other informal attire. People slouch down in chairs or lean on walls or furniture when they talk, rather than maintaining an erect bearing.

A brochure advertising a highly-regarded liberal-arts college contains a photograph showing the college’s president, dressed in shorts and an old T-shirt, jogging past one of the classroom buildings on his campus. Americans are likely to find the photograph appealing: “here is a college president who’s just like anyone else. He doesn’t think he’s too good for us.”

The superficial friendliness for which Americans are so well known is related to their informal, egalitarian approach to other people. “Hi!” they will say to just about anyone. “Howya doin?” (That is, “How are you doing?” or “How are you?”) This behavior reflects less a special interest in the person addressed than a concern (not conscious) for showing that one is a “regular guy,” part of a group of normal, pleasant people – like the college president.

Source:

Althen, Gary. American Ways: A Guide for Foreigners in the United States. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, 1988, pp. 9-10.