Transcript Three Resources for Navigating American Culture

Dr. Robert Osburn
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Lecturer, Dept. of Educational Policy and
Administration
Executive Director, Wilberforce Academy
(training college students to help develop
their home societies)
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Genetics and Religion symposium
(September 26, 2009)
Teach two courses in Spring 2010:
– Religion, Ethics, and Educational Policy
(undergrad; 3 credits)
– Religion and International Development
(grad and undergrad; 3 credits)
Navigating American
Culture
Robert Osburn, PhD
Executive Director
Wilberforce Academy
Presentation to China Outreach Ministries
August 8, 2009
The “Three Threes”
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Three primary American cultural
distinctives
Three primary trends in American
culture
Three primary resources for successful
navigation of American life and culture
A Letter from a Singaporean
Chinese Friend
“When Americans have dogs and cats in their homes--sometimes on their beds--- what's a trifling thing like
shoes on their feet in their homes?
What I find more interesting is to see well-dressed
Americans walking on the streets--barefoot. No, they
are not hobos. They daintily carry their very nice
shoes in their hands.
And...what about restaurant signs that read "No socks, no
shoes, no service"?
You see...when some Americans are in their homes, they
wear their shoes. When they are outside their homes,
they go barefoot.
America is a wonderful place,
XXXXXX
XXX”
Cultural Contradictions
and
Complexities
Three Primary American
Cultural Distinctives
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Individualism
Pragmatism
Dynamism
Three Primary American
Cultural Distinctives

Individualism
– Identified by individual accomplishments, not
the communities that help them succeed
– Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of
American Community (2001), by Harvard
professor Robert Putnam
– Personal responsibility for the world =
Innovation and creativity
Three Primary American
Cultural Distinctives

Individualism
– Habits of the Heart (1985), by Berkeley
professor Robert Bellah:
Expressive individualism = Expressing yourself
so as to gain the attention of others
 Utilitarian individualism = Using people and
things to accomplish personal objectives
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Three Primary American
Cultural Distinctives
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Individualism
Pragmatism = Valuing what works more
than valuing that which corresponds to
reality
– Rewards hard work, planning, and meeting
real needs
– American pragmatism has always benefited
from Christian ethic of honesty
– Closest similarity to Chinese culture
Three Primary American
Cultural Distinctives
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Individualism
Pragmatism
Dynamism = Importance of change
and innovation, rather than stability
– Assumes relatively stable moral
framework
Three Primary Trends in
American Life and
Culture
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Culture War
Pluralism
Globalization
Three Primary Trends in
American Life and Culture
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Culture War = Since 1970, two moral
visions have competed:
– Christian vision of absolute, enduring
morality based in God (many Jews and
Muslims share this)
– Postmodern vision of changing morality
based on social needs
Three Primary Trends in
American Life and
Culture
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Culture War
Pluralism =
– (1) Multiple moral and religious visions for
American society
– (2) Multiple ethnicities sharing life in USA,
including millions of people with Chinese
ancestry
Three Primary Trends in
American Life and Culture
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Culture War
Pluralism
Globalization = Increasing inter-connection
between America and the rest of the world,
particularly because of technology, trade,
travel, and business
– American problems are no longer separate from
problems of others around the globe
Samuel Huntington: Who Are We? The Challenges
to America’s National Identity (2004).
Three Resources for Navigating
American Culture
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Reliable map
Fellow travelers
Wise guide
Three Resources for Navigating
American Culture
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Reliable map
– “Mental map,” or worldview that helps
you make sense of what you encounter in
America
Helps makes sense of cultural contradictions
in US America, as well as cultural complexities
 Ultimately, it should correspond to the shape
of reality
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Three Resources for Navigating
American Culture
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Reliable map
– “Mental map,” or worldview that helps
you make sense of what you encounter in
America
– Thee are three primary “mental maps”
that define US American culture
Scientific naturalism (science/technology)
 Postmodernism (humanities/social sciences)
 Christianity (historical basis for US America)
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Three Resources for Navigating
American Culture
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Reliable map
Fellow travelers
– Kind, honest and generous
– Needed when facing the “U-curve of
adjustment” (next 6 months)
– Followers of Jesus Christ
Three Resources for Navigating
American Culture
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Reliable map
Fellow travelers
Wise Guide
– Obstacles and challenges greater than
you can imagine
– One who never abandons you, but carries
you safely along
– Jesus Christ (rational choice to follow
Him)
The “Three Threes”



Three primary American cultural
distinctives
Three primary trends in American
culture
Three primary resources for successful
navigation of American life and culture
Three Questions
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What attracted you to study in the
USA?
What is your biggest surprise about
American culture and life?
What do you think about the
suggested resources for navigating
American life and culture?