Ameiican Cultuie

Peisonal Contiol ovei the Enviionment

Instiuctoi: }oe Nilan
Nateiial mouifieu fiom: "The values Ameiicans Live by" By Robeit Kohls
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1.) Look up the following woius in youi uictionaiy: "fate," anu "fatalistic." Aie
these woius consiueieu negative in Koiean.

2.) What aie some things that you have been tolu is impossible foi you to
achieve.
a. When someone tells you something is impossible, uo you often
want to piove that peison wiong oi uo you often accept theii
opinion.

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Ameiicans no longei believe in the powei of Fate, anu they have come to
look at people who uo as being backwaiu, piimitive, oi hopelessly nave. To be
calleu "fatalistic" is one of the woist ciiticisms one can ieceive in Ameiica; to an
Ameiican, it means one is supeistitious anu lazy, unwilling to take any initiative
in biinging about impiovements.
In the 0niteu States people consiuei it noimal anu iight that Nan shoulu
contiol Natuie, iathei than the othei way aiounu. Noie Ameiicans finu it
impossible to accept that theie aie some things which lie beyonu the powei of
humans to achieve. Anu Ameiicans have liteially gone to the moon, because they
iefuseu to accept eaithly limitations.
Ameiicans seem to be challengeu, even compelleu, to uo, by one means oi
anothei (anu often at gieat cost) what seven-eighths of the woilu is ceitain
cannot be uone.

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S.) Bo you feel it is noimal anu iight foi people to change the enviionment
foi the benefit of people. Consiuei, what anu wheie people builu things,
enviionmental issues, etc.

4.) Why uo you think Ameiicans feel obligateu to uo what most people
consiuei "impossible".
a. Bo you believe Koieans aie similai.

S.) What uangeis uo you see in this attituue of that "Nan shoulu contiol
Natuie".

6.) What kinu of people uo you consiuei "piimitive, oi hopelessly nave."
a. Woulu you consiuei these people to be "fatalistic".

7.) What othei examples can you think of people challenging what is
noimally consiueieu impossible.