Individualism Gone Wrong
A prevalent value in U.S culture is Individualism. We share this deep-rooted belief that everyone is in control of their destiny and, thus, only we are responsible for where we are in life. In theory, I believe individualism is great, as it makes you avoid excuses and work harder for your goals. However, in reality, it feels like we have taken this value to a dangerous extreme. I like to call said extreme “Hustle Culture”. Currently, you are expected to not only take care of yourself but also to be successful at any cost. Whether that cost is jeopardizing your health, severing meaningful relationships, or disregarding the harm you may directly or indirectly cause to your community. The worst part of all this is that we have come to embrace this as a “good” thing. We see 80-hour workweeks, sleep deprivation, excessive caffeine consumption as a badge of honor that deserves admiration and respect. A shift in perspective is necessary.
As we start entering the workforce, we need to learn how to “work to live” instead of “living to work”. In all honesty, I have had a slight advantage to this as I have spent the majority of my life in the Dominican Republic. For Dominicans, the idea of “Hustle Culture” seems masochistic. This stems from the fact that their culture is very welcoming and jovial. They always seem to be laughing and enjoying each other’s company. With that said, if I can make a safe guess on how the average individual outside of the U.S culture sees this value I believe it would be something close to how Dominicans feel about it. It is really hard for me to imagine that the majority of foreigners believe that “working yourself to death” is something one should be proud of.
At the time I am writing this, I am one week away from getting on a plane in Miami and departing to Heathrow airport In London. I am very excited and nervous at the same time. Integration into a new culture is something challenging and scary. However, doing this blog prompt has helped calm my nerves. Reflecting on a strong value of U.S culture made me realize that every culture might have values that one disagrees with or just dislikes. Most importantly, it made me understand that one shouldn’t judge a culture based on one or two values you dislike but rather on how it is overall. So, when I’m exploring the UK, I will look back to this blog prompt to remind myself that it is ok if I do not agree with an aspect of UK culture. This will allow me to be open and receptive to keep exploring, which by the end of my study abroad, that mentality would have led me to have the best semester of my life. With that in mind, I just want to take a moment to give thanks to this prompt as I know it will help me create unforgettable memories.