American values are ideas and practices that are important to people in the United States. These values shape the way people live in the country and their laws. Some of the key American values include:
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Individualism: Americans value independence and self-determination, placing importance on the role of the individual in shaping their own identity and destiny through their choices, abilities, and efforts.
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Equality: Americans believe that all people are created equal, with unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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Informality: Americans believe that formality is "un-American" and a show of arrogance and superiority. A casual, egalitarian attitude between people is more accepted.
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Work ethic and merit: Americans believe that success and merit are achieved through hard work, effort, and talent.
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Directness and honesty: Americans tend to tell the truth and not worry about saving the other persons "face" or "honor".
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Materialism: Americans see material goods as the just rewards of hard work and evidence of "Gods favor".
It is important to note that American culture is diverse and can vary by factors such as region, race and ethnicity, age, religion, socio-economic status, or population density, among others. Different aspects of American culture can be thought of as low culture or high culture, or belonging to any of a variety of subcultures.