Nicolas M. Cabrera.

7/17/2011
SUPP High Intermediate
THE ARGENTINA & AMERICAN Culture Looking carefully
This summer, Im studing Americans culture. If you look simply, my
countrys culture, the Argentinian culture. Its very similar to the
American culture. If you look more carefully , you can find a lot of
differences related to different cultures values, such as respect for
rules, hard work and family dependence. These values are strong in
both countries, but Im going to analyze and compare each one.
Although, the culture is different in all countries.
The Argentinean value of family dependence is very different to the
American culture value of independence. In Argentina, the family
dependence value is very interesting. Most of the families give their
kids a totally or partial dependence. For example, many young people
are allowed by their parents to go out with friends or go to dance to a
disco. In contrast, in the USA, most of the families dont give their
sons the freedom (totally freedom) and the young people arent
totally family independence until 21 years. For example, to enter a
disco, you have to be 21 years old. In Argentina, its very different, you
must have just 18 years (or unless if you know how to enter).
American Ways, says: most Americans believe that they must be selfreliant in order to keep their freedom (30).

The Argentinean value of hard work differs from the American

cultural value of hard work. In Argentina, the hard work or work
in whatever for money its very common an valued by our people. In
Argentina, we can find people who work a lot, people that work more or
less, and people who are the laze ones (such a lot of communities
around the world). Many people works a lot, so they have some
troubles when they try to live their family life. For example, a person
who need more money. For the general maintenance and management
of his home, work extra hours (more than 8 hours). The common jobs
selected by people are such as security guards, pizza deliver,
executives assistant, etc. In the USA, however, people works harder
than Argentina (in personal life and in society life) so maybe this is one
reason of the continued improvement of United States. For example,
people here use the can-do spirit to success. American Ways says
addition, toward this, is: Can-do spirit its a sense of optimism that
every problem has a solution (77).
When we talk about respect of rules in Argentina, we are talking about
how people breaks rules (most of them). The lack of interesting
showed by government to improve law enforcement its a factor that
complains with people who have bad threats. In the USA, the security

forces are stronger, and its part of the culture to respect rules (like
laws, constitution, etc). For example in public spaces (like parks). In
Argentina, a public space its owned by people who dont respect laws.
We should change the culture and be more respectful to each other.
While you are studying Americans culture, you are studying your own
culture too, because in your country you just do typical things of your
culture, without study. I have learned a lot of things about Americans in
many values, some of them are: hard work, independence and
respect for rules. When we talk about hard work of Argentina
contrasted with hard work in USA, in Argentina we value people who
works a lot, in USA its more valued the competition with other people
in business such as its more valued the family dependence , in
contrast to Argentina we have already had that earlier. In subject of
respect for rules (much more) than Argentina, we should be more
respectful to each other to score more as a society. The American
culture is an example for other cultures in many point of views.