AmericanWays

AMERICAN WAYS This page intentionally left blank AMERICAN WAYS A Cultural Guide to the United States Third Edition GARY ALTHEN WITH JANET BENNETT This edition first published by Intercultural Press, an imprint of Nicholas Brealey Publishing, in 2011. 20 Park Plaza, Suite 1115A 3-5 Spafield Street, Clerkenwell Boston, MA 02116, USA London, EC1R 4QB, UK Tel: + 617-523-3801 Tel: +44-(0)-207-239- 0360 Fax: + 617-523-3708 Fax: +44-(0)-207-239- 0370 www.interculturalpress.com www.nicholasbrealey.com © 1988, 2003 by Gary Althen © 2011 by Gary Althen All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Printed in the United States of America 15 14 13 12 11 1 2 3 4 5 ISBN: 978-0-98424-717-2 CIP data applied for C O N T E N T S PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xvii INTRODUCTION xix On Understanding xix How Much Generalizing Is Acceptable? xxi On Asking “Why?” xxiv How Americans See Themselves xxvi How Americans See Foreigners xxvii On Descri......