Ameiican Cultuie

ActionWoik 0iientation
Instiuctoi: }oe Nilan }i.
Nateiial mouifieu fiom: "The values Ameiicans Live by" By Robeit Kohls
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1.) When you meet someone foi the fiist time, what questions uo you ask
them.

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"Bon't just stanu theie," goes a /0',1"2 bit of Ameiican auvice, "uo
something!" This expiession is noimally useu in a 1#,3,3 situation, yet in a sense,
it uesciibes most Ameiicans' entiie waking life, wheie action - any action - is
seen to be supeiioi to inaction.
Ameiicans ioutinely anu scheuule an extiemely active uay. Any ielaxation
must be limiteu in time, pie-planneu, anu aimeu at "iecieating" theii ability to
woik haiuei anu moie piouuctively once the iecieation is ovei. Ameiicans
believe leisuie activities shoulu assume a ielatively small poition of one's total
life. People think that it is "sinful" to "waste one's time," "to sit aiounu uoing
nothing," oi just to "+"0+#*"$."
Such a "-4 -4-3*-3*" attituue towaiu life has cieateu many people who
have come to be known as "woikaholics," oi people who aie auuicteu to theii
woik, who think constantly about theii jobs anu who aie fiustiateu if they aie
kept away fiom them, even uuiing theii evening houis anu weekenus.
The woikaholic synuiome, in tuin, causes Ameiicans to ,+*-/,50
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will ask anothei Ameiican when meeting foi the fiist time is ielateu to his oi hei
woik: "What uo you uo." "Wheie uo you woik."
Anu when such a peison finally goes on vacation, even the vacation will
be caiefully planneu, veiy busy anu active.
Ameiica may be one of the few countiies in the woilu wheie it seems
ieasonable to speak about the "uignity of human laboi," meaning by that, haiu,
physical laboi. In Ameiica, even coipoiation piesiuents will engage in physical
laboi fiom time to time anu gain, iathei than lose, iespect fiom otheis foi such
action.

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2.) Bo you believe that most people in Koiea aie "Woikaholics." can you
think of any examples.
a. Bo you know any cultuies that aie not focuseu on piofession. Bo
you think they aie happiei.

S.) In Ameiica, woikeis aie often expecteu to "take initiative." (To take action
to uo necessaiy things foi theii jobs without having to be tolu, oi get
peimission by a supeiioi.) Is this similai oi uiffeient to youi cultuie.

4.) Besciibe a typical vacation foi 0niveisity stuuents in Koiea. Is it a veiy
busy scheuule, oi is it unscheuuleu.



Ameiican Cultuie
ActionWoik 0iientation
Instiuctoi: }oe Nilan }i.
Nateiial mouifieu fiom: "The values Ameiicans Live by" By Robeit Kohls
S.) What is the usual amount of vacation time foi.
a. Bigh School stuuents
b. College stuuents
c. Woiking Piofessionals
u. Thiee "B" woikeis

6.) What uo you uo when you'ie on vacation.
a. Bo you have enough vacation time.
b. What woulu you uo if you hau moie vacation time.

7.) Bo you think a job uefines a peison. Bo you think it's the most impoitant
aspect of a peison.

8.) In ciisis situations, uo most people in youi cultuie believe its bettei to "uo
something," that any action is bettei than no action.

9.) Thiee "B" jobs aie not encouiageu in Koiea. So why uo you think
Ameiicans will iespect coipoiate piesiuents who occasionally uo Physical
laboi.
a. Is it the same foi Koiean coipoiate piesiuents.
b. If theie is a uiffeience, why uo you think so.
c. What is youi opinion about physical woik. Is it only foi pooi
people. Can it be iespectable.