Is This Really Who We Are?

I was completely appalled reading a NY Times article about a Wal-Mart employee who was trampled to death by Black Friday shoppers - read about it here. The article said at least four other people, including a woman who is eight months pregnant, were taken to the hospital for injuries and observation. Even when the shoppers were told they had to leave because an employee had been killed, they refused, saying they had been in line since Thursday morning - they kept shopping.

In one of my classes we've been talking a lot about the current state of our nation with regard to health care systems and political reform. We have been studying other countries with universal health care and discussing what would/wouldn't work in the US. One of the biggest themes we always come back to in class is the fact that Americans are very individualized and as much as we want the good of everyone around us, we don't care if the guy down the street is sick and why should I have to pay for his care? Sidebar: That was a generalization - obviously not everyone is like this, but generally speaking, Americans are more individually centered than population centered. Further statements made about the "American people" are also generalizations. That being said, we've discussed the fact that there would have to be a great mentality and attitude shift before we get to the point where we really care about everyone in this great country and the common good for all. We have to get to the point where there really is the family feel that you can find in some communities, but not necessarily for the country as a whole. Yes, we were all more patriotic after 9/11 and other events that have tried our country, but we still have a long way to go. A lot of the opposition to unity stems from the very nature of our country. We are a melting pot society - it's one of defining points for our nation. That being said, our population is much more heterogeneous - in culture, religion, ethnicity, even language - than countries like Taiwan or Japan. We may be founded on tradition and core values like others, but they are a far more homogeneous people than we. That is something that may be our greatest strength and our greatest weakness. We have to be able to accept that and work with it if we ever expect any sort of change in this country.

Back to the article. I find this a perfect[ly ridiculous] example of the individualistic nature of the American people. So concerned with saving maybe a couple hundred dollars on a new TV or a vacuum that they sacrifice the life of human being, with complete disregard to that individual's worth. Maybe it's because we just care about ourselves, maybe it's because of the materialism of today's society. Whatever it is, I think it's terribly depressing. It may be cliché, but we're only as strong as our weakest link - is this really the type of people that we are?