1970s American Values

Many American values that existed back in the 1970s still exist today, even if they may have taken on slightly different forms. An American value stated by Williams, that has persisted into the 21st century is that Americans s\till highly value achievement and success. To this day Americans honor those that they believe have achieved tremendous achievements through their own hard work and dedication. The value of achievement and success does still change from time to time in America, with Americans switching from valuing individual success the most, to valuing the success of a team of people, and then back again. Another value stated by Williams that has not only persisted into the present, but has also grown since the 70s, is humanitarian
Williams mentioned that activity and work was an important value held my many Americans, stating that any one abele bodied should work, and not get any handouts. This has changed however, with many American now knowing that there are other societal factors may be preventing someone from working, and that in many cases people do need help in order to get back onto their feet. Now, there are still many people who see those that don’t work, but are physically able to as lazy, but since the 70s it seems that there is almost equal to, or more, that see some of these people that can’t work as being in a circumstance that is not due to them being simply lazy. Conformity is another aspect of American culture that is not as heavily revered as it may have been. Today most populated areas of America now hold individuality as being a more important quality then conforming to people around you. And out of all of the values given by Williams that is closest to fading away is racism. Racism now more associated with negative qualities, and seen as the opposite of what America stands for, even most people that may be labeled as being racist often don’t realize this about themselves, or at the very least see it as a prideful aspect of themselves that they should share with other people. There are however some pockets of America that want to see segregation and racism return to the value that it once was in America, but these individuals are in the vast minority. Societies grow and change, and as they change so must their