I feel that I have some interesting personality traits, such as a good sense of humor, creativity, a sense of compassion for people, and my ability to never give up on anything, in spite of any negative things that are going on in life. I feel that out of all of these traits, my sense of humor is one of the most important and unique aspects to myself. I can look at funny, everyday things in life and find some humor in all of these things. I have an interesting way of seeing the funny, comical side in almost every situation (Ciccarelli & White, 2011).
I think that more collectivist cultures, such as Japan, China, and Russia are not as apt to look at people’s uniqueness as a good thing. Collectivist cultures seem to value harmony and doing what is for the overall good everybody, not just for the individual. In these countries, people are often not allowed to pick their own jobs. The family also seems to takes precedence. Traits that make one stand out and come across as different are not as valued either and discouraged.
However, individualist cultures, such as the United States, The United Kingdom, Amsterdam, and Canada seem to value a person’s uniqueness more. Different personality traits are valued more. In these types of cultures, people are encouraged to go after their dreams and to live a life that makes one happy, versus just doing things to please others. The family is also not as important in individualistic cultures, thoughts of disappointing one’s family not that important. In the United States, the American Dream was a big component and foundation of the country, serving as a motto that if you work hard enough and pursue your passions and uniqueness and what you want, the money will follow, and you will live a good life.
- Ciccarelli, S. K., & White, N. (2011). Psychology. Upper Saddle River: Pearson.
