CATEGORIES:
BiologyChemistryConstructionCultureEcologyEconomyElectronicsFinanceGeographyHistoryInformaticsLawMathematicsMechanicsMedicineOtherPedagogyPhilosophyPhysicsPolicyPsychologySociologySportTourism
Social interaction in businessAmerican manners also extend to the way in which they interact. Eye contact is mandatory during all meetings, and reflects a desire for openness. Small talk is the way most relationships begin. Americans avoid talking politics or religion, unless they know the leanings of their company; this way no one can be offended. Conversely, the Americans are noted for their blunt, to the point way of doing business. In some cultures this could be thought of as rude, but in the US niceties are not necessary. Time indeed is money, so there is no beating around the bush in American business; a business lunch will be exactly that. On a first introduction it is not uncommon to be abruptly asked, ‘What do you do?’ The American work ethic means that judgement of character is based largely on one’s profession; the work you do and your identity are inextricably linked in the eyes of an American. Language There is no official language of the United States, according to the U.S. government. While almost every language in the world is spoken in the United States, Spanish, Chinese, French and German are among the most frequently spoken non-English languages. Ninety percent of the U.S. population speaks and understands at least some English, and most official business is conducted in English. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that more than 300 languages are spoken in the United States. The bureau divides those languages into four categories: Spanish; other Indo-European languages, which includes German, Yiddish, Swedish, French, Italian, Russian, Polish, Hindi, Punjabi, Greek and several others; Asian and Pacific Island languages, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Tamil and more; and "all other languages," which is a category for languages that didn't fit into the first three categories, such as Hungarian, Arabic, Hebrew, languages of Africa and languages of native people of North, Central and South America. Religion Nearly every known religion is practiced in the United States, which was founded on the basis of religious freedom. About 83 percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians, according to an ABC poll, while 13 percent replied that they had no religion at all. Another poll in 2012 reported similar findings. It also found that Judaism is the second most-identified religious affiliation, at about 1.7 percent of the population. Only 0.6 percent of respondents identified as Muslim. American style Clothing styles vary by social status, region, occupation and climate. Jeans, sneakers, baseball caps, cowboy hats and boots are some items of clothing that are closely associated with Americans. Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Victoria Secret are some well-known American brands. American fashion is widely influenced by celebrities and the media, and fashion sales equal around $200 billion per year, according to a paper published by Harvard University. American food American cuisine has been influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in its early history. Today, there are a number of foods that are commonly identified as American, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, macaroni and cheese, and meat loaf. "As American as apple pie" has come to mean something that is authentically American. There are also styles of cooking and types of foods that are specific to a region. Southern-style cooking is often called "American comfort food" and includes dishes such as fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas and corn bread. Tex-Mex, popular in Texas and the Southwest, is a blend of Spanish and Mexican cooking styles and includes items such as chili and burritos and relies heavily on shredded cheese and beans. Jerky, dried meats that are served as snacks, is also a food that was created in the United States, according to NPR.
Culture in USA (Ńëŕéä 12) Art and Architecture The first renowned school of painting in the USA was the Hudson River School founded in 1820, characterized by direct and simple interpretations of American daily life. American paintings have always depicted the mundane and rather ordinary existence of American living, as evidenced by one of the country's most famous paintings, Whistler's Mom by James McNeill Whistler in 1871 and Grant Wood's American Gothic in 1930. The leading figure in the visual arts movement was Andy Warhol in the 1960's, who brought pop art to new heights with his use of silk-screen printing to interpret American culture and consumerism. (Ńëŕéä 13) Just like the country's culture, its architecture is defined by different styles as well. Among the most famous buildings in the country are the Empire State Building in New York with its Art Deco style, the White House in Washington, DC in Neoclassical style, St. Patrick's Cathedral in Gothic Revival, and the modern Structural Expressionist style of New York's Hearst Tower. (Ńëŕéä 14) Literature Just like America's art, the country's literature depicts the lives of Americans living in the heart of the country. Among the most famous books of fiction include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby - which are among a small list of books regarded as "The Great American Novel." Other notable writers include T.S. Eliot, John Steinbeck, Sinclair Lewis, and Ernest Hemingway - all Nobel Prize Laureates. The Arts The United States is widely known around the world as a leader in mass media production, including television and movies. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the United States comprises one-third of the worldwide media and entertainment industry. The television broadcasting industry took hold in the United States in the early 1950s, and American television programs are now shown around the world. The United States also has a vibrant movie industry, centered in Hollywood, California, and American movies are popular worldwide. The U.S. film industry earned $31 billion in revenues in 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The United State's arts culture extends beyond movies and television shows, though. New York is home to Broadway, and Americans have a rich theatrical history. American folk art is an artistic style and is identified with quilts and other hand-crafted items. American music is very diverse with many, many styles, including rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel, country and western, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and hip hop. (Ńëŕéä 15) Sports The United States is a sports-minded country, with millions of fans who follow football, baseball, basketball and hockey, among other sports. Baseball, which was developed in colonial America and became an organized sport in the mid-1800s, is known as America’s favorite pastime, although its popularity has been eclipsed by football for the past three decades, according to the Harris Poll. Society American society values education above anything else. Having a degree is highly valued as it is the most common way to get a good-paying job. Americans often ask new acquaintances what they do for a living - a clear sign that people are judged through their occupation. One of the prime factors of social class, one's job is a large indicator of one's identity, placing education as one of the most important things in an American's life. Though the nuclear family unit is the most preferred, statistics show that majority of American families actually comprise postmodern family systems such as childless couples and single-parent households. And with divorce predicted at 40-60% with new marriages, the notion of the preferred nuclear family unit is slowly changing face in America. Clothing Cuisine
The USA is a nation of immigrants, and thus, comprises a country with varied cultures and traditions. Many holidays are celebrated only in the United States. Americans celebrate their independence from Britain on July 4. Memorial Day, celebrated on the last Monday in May, honors those who have died in military service. Labor Day, observed on the first Monday in September, celebrates country’s workforce. Thanksgiving, another distinctive American holiday, falls on the fourth Thursday in November and dates back to colonial times to celebrate the harvest. Presidents’ Day, marking the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, is a federal holiday that occurs on the third Monday in February. The contributions of veterans are honored on Veterans’ Day, observed on Nov. 11. The contributions of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. are remembered on the third Monday in January. While most public holidays in the US have a political or historical background, other festivals are rooted in religious beliefs or in the traditions that the many different ethnic groups in the US brought along to the new world with them. More often than not, food plays a central role. Family meals with dishes following traditional recipes, many of which have been handed down from generation to generation, are often at the heart of the celebrations. Christmas Eve/Day (December 24th and 25th) Although this Christian festival is, of course, celebrated in many countries around the globe, Americans did come up with a number of original holiday traditions. On Christmas Eve, many American families like hanging stockings over the fireplace, often with their names on them. Homes are decorated with mistletoes, holly, a Christmas tree, and other seasonal decorations. Outdoor decorations – such as fairy lights or Santa Claus figures – have become very popular as well. Children often leave milk and cookies by the fireplace for Santa Claus, who will slide down the chimney at midnight and bring gifts for everybody. The main celebration takes place on Christmas day, often with a big family dinner. As we have pointed out elsewhere in this expat guide, the US is home to a highly diverse populace. Christmas is only one of a number of festivals taking place towards the end of the year; others include Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, for example. However, although public institutions, people working in retail, and some employers usually try to keep the festive season nondenominational and all-inclusive (e.g. wishing people “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”), Christmas does have an inescapable quality to it. Walking through your neighborhood or your local mall or browsing the online retailers for gifts, you will soon notice that Christmas is the main focus of the season. Valentine’s Day (February 14th) While Valentine’s Day is historically not an American holiday, the contemporary version popularized around the world draws heavily from the American tradition. On this day, couples proclaim their love to each other, giving each other roses, candy, or other gifts, some of which can be rather upscale. Sending one another Valentine’s greetings is also a common practice on this day. Please do not mistake them for signals of romantic interest. Most of the time, they are just friendly reminders that someone holds you dear and is thinking of you. As the holiday has been heavily commercialized for decades, it is not without its detractors. Not everyone is willing to extend or receive Valentine’s greetings. It might be a good idea to just wait until your first Valentine’s Day in the US and see how the people around you celebrate, rather than rushing head first into (possibly unwanted or frowned upon) displays of affection. St. Patrick's Day Celebrating Irish heritage in the USA every year on the 17th of March, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated with displays of the color green, parades, drinking, and parties. Independence Day (4th of July) Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States, and possibly the main holiday of the year for most of the population. The former fact becomes very obvious in the face of the sea of red, white, and blue you will find yourself in on July 4th. Americans often celebrate this day with their families and friends, enjoying the many Independence Day parades and outdoor celebrations. The weather permitting, barbecues are the main attraction of the day, closely followed in terms of popularity by fireworks, which are traditionally displayed in the evening. Despite being the national holiday, Independence Day is less formal than other holidays. Halloween (October 31st) Although Halloween is not a federal holiday, it is very popular throughout the entire country. It was brought to the US by Irish immigrants, who used to celebrate the evening before the Catholic festival of All Saints’ Day. Once, it was all about remembering the souls that had not made it up to heaven and keeping the transience of earthly existence in mind. It was probably this memento mori aspect that introduced the widespread use of skulls as the representative symbol, which was ultimately extended to include other symbols of death and decay. Today, the main focus is in dressing up in scary - or at least creative - costumes and attending parties. Carved pumpkins, so-called jack-o-lanterns, are an omnipresent sight on Halloween, adorning doorsteps, window sills, and virtually any other location around the house. Children go out to “trick-or-treat”, which means going from door to door collecting candy. Whoever refuses to give any is in for some pranks. Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November) A national holiday and the start of the holiday season, Thanksgiving is celebrated every 4th Thursday of November. It involves gathering of the family and dining on turkey and home-cooked dishes as a way of giving thanks to the bounty of blessings that have arrived. Thanksgiving is said to have its origins in 1621, when the first colonists in New England and Native Americans came together to enjoy a large feast at the end of the first harvest. Although historians doubt the accuracy of this story, it is the official version most Americans accept as fact. This holiday also marks the end of the harvest season, which used to be very important in the formerly agrarian society of the US. Thanksgiving is usually celebrated with the extended family and occasionally also with very close friends. Even family members who live far away from their relatives come home for this holiday to spend time with their loved ones. Traditionally, turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and other foods of the season are served for a huge dinner. The day leading up to the dinner is often spent cooking and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or a football game on TV. Mardi Gras in New Orleans Attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, the Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a party paradise of street dancing and parades.
Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1354
|