America’s individualistic culture does not rely or place blame on God, fate or social pressure, but assigns credit for world occurrences to the individual’s desire and determination. The individual is responsible for his or her own crimes, and America, as a culture, does not look to one’s group or society for punishment. Americans also believe that each person is unique despite people’s effort to conform to those around them and assimilate into a society.
While there are studies and surveys that prove this sense of individuality among Americans, there are also many contrasting surveys. Studies found that American’s will often prioritize group interests over individual interests. Americans also are more involved in organizations, friend groups and families. One reason for these contradicting ideas regarding the individual is that Americans are committed to faith and moralism. Therefore, while Americans believe in the individual, faith often trumps individualism and certain values are not expressed by a consistent and full belief in individualism. Another explanation is that Americans believe in voluntarism over individualism. People have the free will to join and leave groups, but while in a group, one is expected to be committed. Voluntarism is a combination of believing in the individual and in commitment.
Whitman’s poem, “America,” praises America as if the ideas of freedom and equality are achieved in all respects, but Hughes’ poem rejects the fact that America possesses these attributes by stating examples of America’s injustices and inequality.
America’s individualistic ideology causes people to blame a lack of success on themselves, but Hughes’ poem explains how people’s progress is stagnated in America by the culture of racism and “of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.” Therefore, it is important to look at the bigger picture—one’s social status, class, other initial disadvantages—to find the problem that is holding one back from succeeding. While Hughes’ poem illustrates the reality of most people living in America, Whitman’s poem is exclusive and blind. His poem is written about the high class, speaking for the high class, and meant for the high class to read. He clearly leaves out all other ethnic groups besides for white males when he says “centre of equal daughters, equal sons,” since not everyone has experienced this equality. He also leaves out members of the lower class by calling America fair, rich and perennial with freedom.
I liked how you pointed out American Individualism is only applied to certain situations. Oftentimes, Americans abandon that individualism because it is for the better interest of society. This is present especially in situations that involve a single individual against a group. The group interest is easier to fit in and following the crowd to American saves a lot of unnecessary issues. I also found it interesting that you thought the person Whitman was talking about is the higher class. I thought he was talking about the US as a whole and praising it as the land of the free and equality. But your explanation about how the wealthy, specifically white makes are the center of their family and society. They are the ones who receive the most privileges and are considered the superior being.
I like your argument with the American ideal that every person is unique even though it is very common in America for people to try and conform people into a certain way of life. Furthermore, your analysis of the Whitman poem was spot on when the thought of all of the world instead of just America.