Symbolically,
The word "American" which originally meant the
English immigrants to the American colonies of the Symbolically, being American means to carry on the heritage defined in the Declaration of Independence. In essence, what’s the heart or spirit of being an American? What are the positive characteristics of a great American?
1. American is ‘Colorful”
A dream you dream
alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.
– John Lennon
– John Lennon
FREEDOM is a
platitude description and it depends on which side you look at it. It means
the opportunity and citizen right. Having freedom doesn’t mean one should lose
the value of discipline.
Culture plays its part but it does not confine us to a
single label. American is colorful because every person is unique and every
culture has positive traits, the collective spirit of American is just like the rainbow, to embrace the full spectrum of the color theme;
2. American is Open
Those who won our independence
believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of
liberty. ~Louis D. Brandeis
The
Being an American
means having the ability and courage to live your life and share your values
in a transparent manner to the world, being who you are according to what
people see, say, and know about you.
There are respect and
honor of the land and its people that go along with being an American. No
American that is born deserves any credit for being born an American. And
Americans stand for many different things, many in opposition to another. American is open and direct, it doesn't mean Americans couldn't be more diplomatic, thoughtful, objective, and even paradoxical. The spirit of American is freedom, openness, creativity, boldness, and justice.
3. American is Competitive
From garage-born entrepreneurs to adventurous athletes,
Americans are competitive, wild, and even crazy; Being competitive means
Americans like to win, enjoy the challenge; love the new things, and make the
impossible possible; From “sending a man to the moon” to “I have a dream”
inspiration, Americans continue to pioneer and make history
However, being competitive doesn’t always mean to win, being
competitive means to continue to carry on the value & principles defined in Declaration of Independence; being competitive means to be open to the
continuous improvement; or to sacrifice the short-term win in order to gain long
term advantage; it means to be resilient when getting set back, and being confident
even not perfect. Being competitive means to keep sharp, not complacent;
Being competitive means to be proud but not arrogant; Being thinking big but
not grow heavily; being competitive means one can still float like butterfly or
stinging like a bee; It’s the change capability, not a status quo.
4. American is Stylish
However, the style shall not replace substance; the heart
and soul of America is in
the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness;
the substance of America
American style is unique and diversified. Still, America
5. American is Positive
I believe in America
Being American is, of course, having the official status (
papers), but is also a matter of the
heart, the spirit, the mentality, the positive attitude we are encouraged
to uphold, the participation in social cohesiveness, the sharing of cognitive
difference. Being positive means to be resilient when negative things happened; to ask WHY in order to hunt for the root cause, not just fixing the symptom.
There are of course different concepts, ideologies,
perspectives, religions..... Being positive means to respect and open, to
breakdown the bias and prejudices; to keep cautiously optimistic; it is a value
thinking and strategic thinking; it helps you conquer the current barriers in
order to embrace the brighter future; it creates the energy and synergy in
pursuit of the long term vision and growth. Being American is truly about
advanced perception and progressive behaviors.
6. American is Generous
American is a giver; from billionaire philanthropist to volunteer in the community, American has the spirit of generosity; Americans are
mostly friendly, warm, and polite. The philanthropies are well embedded in
education and the social eco-system.
In order to reach higher maturity, giving attitude needs to
be well permeating into as a universal appreciation, from sympathy to empathy,
from compassion to intellectual identification; from engagement to influence; Americans
are global citizens to bridge the East & West, and mind the gaps between straightforward farmland and sophisticated metropolitan; between segregative industrialization and hyper-connected digitalization, between linear logic and multi-dimensional reasoning. We are all now living in an interdependent
world - RESPECT each other's views - that does not always mean adopt them but
sit around the table and share burdens and benefits that we all have to carry.
7. American is Young
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“Anyone who keeps the
ability to see beauty never grows old. “ -Franz Kafka
America is celebrating her 237th birthday now, perhaps she
is still a teenager in a world of adults; she is a crystal lake in the long
river of human history; however, the richness of culture and progressive
technology catalyze her growth, she
will be mature to serve not only her own citizens but also as trust adviser for global “seniors”; she will be wise
to lead, not just through the ‘super-power’, but through her integral global capabilities
and persuasive influence.
American is still young, she hasn’t too many historical
burdens to stop her from moving forward; America is about change, she is in
constant upheaval, she is in everyone's business, trying to make the world a better place, not on her way, but through collective insight.
Who are you, Americans? No matter you are a citizen by birth,
citizen by choice or citizen in-waiting, it’s a perfect moment for us to
revisit the spirit of America America
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