英美文化论文.doc

2011.06 英美文化期末论文 任课教师：徐慧芳The English and Chinese Culture Differences Reflected from Their Idioms Origins 2009级信息工程学院 罗坤龙 学号_3109002652_Individualism in AmericaAbstractThe contemporary notion of individualism actually began as a term of abuse, observes Wilfred M. McClay. Joseph de Maistre employed it in the 19th century to describe the most reprehensible aspects of the French Revolution, including a doctrine of natural rights that allowed any individual to be his own moral arbiter. A few years later, Tocqueville described individualism as a new social philosophy that disposes each member of the community to sever himself from the mass of his fellows and to draw apart with his family and friends. It was, in other words, a deliberate withdrawal from the responsibilities of citizenshipKeyword：individualism, values, beliefs, American culture1. The beginning of United States of AmericaIn 1492, a great man first discovered a great continent and had a great impact in the whole world. The great man is Christophe Columbus and the great continent is the United States of America, which later becomes a superpower country in the world. Columbuss great discovery is one of the most significant events in the history of human beings, and has changed the rest of the world forever. 2.1 Values and beliefs has further influenced foreigner. What influence the other foreign countries most is the values and beliefs of the country. These have changed the lives of people in the every corner of the world and have attracted more and more people coming to the country. America becomes a paradise for those foreigners who want to realize their dream and seek fortune, because they are independent and can be their own there. Further more, they are free from the control of excessive political, religious and social control. They are lived as an individual and can put their all on their own business. The value inside it is individualism.2.2 American never thought individualism is a negative word. .When you heard about this, you may think that individualism is a negative word, how can it become one of the most important values in American. In fact, it is something positive in America. Tocqueville described it as a new social philosophy that “disposes each member of the community to sever himself from the mass of his fellows and to draw apart with his family and friends”. In America, it is already a kind of citizen responsibility and never thought to be negative.2.3 In fact, Individualism has its two sides, thought Individualism is an indispensible part of American value.Individualism is an indispensible part of American value, and the meaning is very different from what is in other countries in the world. In the American culture, the notion of individualism has two sides: the positive side the negative side, because everything has its good and bad side. For the positive side, it is emphasize on self-independent, the control of their own life and the responsibility for others. The positive side of individualism describes the spirit of developing undeveloped land in wilderness alone with rifles and axes, and emphasizes on the indifference of government control, and the insistence of their own right. In other words, it includes three essential elements: the opportunity for the individual, the grant of freedom, and the encouragement of diversity. The negative side of individualism is the result of excessive self-concerning. And this behavior will hurt the feelings and interests of their friends, families and even the society. This will develop into two differences: the difference to the preservation of natural resources and to those people who fall far behind them. This may cause social instability and unequal.2.4 Individualism is the core of American culture and takes up the most important position in the American ideology.In America, people adore different kinds of heroes, those heroes who exist in real society, such as the first presidentGeorge Washington, or those heroes only exist in fictions and movies, such as Spiderman. They all have one quality in Americans eyes that is individualism as a very successful individual. Unlike our Chinese people, we regard heroes based on the unity, because union is strength. While Americans regard heroes based on the fulfilment of individuals achieved by their own efforts, wisdom and ability. For instance, Chinese people always have a close connection with relatives, friends and anyone else in their daily life. But American people believe they can handle issues by themselves and the future is in their own hand, and they can save themselves.3. The different belief in get rid of the sin.The belief that people can save themselves is great influenced by Puritanism. In Puritanism, it is said that everyone is born with original sin, and it is nature for people to make mistakes during their whole life. It becomes an important thing for them to get rid of the sin. How to realize this? It all depends on themselves. As mentioned before, it is achieved by their own ability and wisdom. In Chinese Buddhism, there is also a saying that people are born with the sin. But the way to get rid of it is different. For Chinese people, the way is to be a kind man and always think of someone else in your life, because evil is always defeated by goodness.4. The Declaration of Independence regard the interests and potential of individual. There is famous saying in the Declaration of Independence, which regard the interests and potential of individual, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Benjamin Franklin explains it as “the individual is the author of his own life, with full power to construct it as he wills”, and this is widely accepted by Americans. According to this, no matter how humble he is at the first beginning, he can be succeed under the help of their own hard work, and can be a middle-class man.5. Conclusions All in all, the American individualism is different from other countries. In America, individualism is a kind of value that cannot be offended. We should view it in an objective and neutral way. Individual does not equal to selfish. When individual is too excessive, it will become selfish. In some degree, they have no relationship with each other. Under the value of individualism, Americans build the