The Qualities I see in Americans

Summary

In my experiences, I have learned many things that shaped how I act or what I do. The same goes for what I believe in, and most importantly, my view on what makes up the ideal American person.

America is a country full of opportunities, vision and cultures; obtainable through hard work, perseverance and unity. In order for one to acquire whatever the beholder determines The American Dream they must do one thing above all else. They will need to engage - listen, enquire, comprehend, think and understand whatever is being said.

When I was younger I discovered the importance of engagement when I missed the opportunity to make the best of an important moment in my life. Without engagement I missed the chance to truly live my best life, which relates to America via comparison to apathy in elections; if nobody is engaged, nothing will be the best it possibly could. Nothing will change; everything will stay the same and monotony would reign supreme over everything.

Similarly, Learning to truly listen to what another person has to say has empowered me in so many ways I can’t list them all. I have learned to understand how a point of view is formed, and what other people think, and how to truly come to an agreement. Without truly listening we would never trust the other party, a person we don't agree with or any other number of things. When we truly listen to what someone has to say, we begin the steps to making a compromise, which will inevitably come to agreement. And in that agreement we can find what is best for everyone and everything.

Comprehension is also important because without comprehension I couldn’t truly understand why or how something works; comprehending what government truly is helped me to see the value of other points of view that I encounter. In comprehending something we learn how something works, why it works, and, possibly, how to improve it. Without comprehension in its true meaning we miss out on the most efficient ways of operation.

Lastly, critical thinking is important because it helps to see all of the possible outcomes and all of the most efficient ways to operate. Critical Thinking helped me to understand things I never thought I could, like how to better myself, and without critical thinking we would be reduced to only debating the simplest of things, and only being able to understand a small amount of consequences and actions.

The American creed, to me, are these values, which encapsulate what Americans and what America truly is.