Chapter 3. Understanding The Dominant Culture: Euro- Americans

Where are Euro-Americans?

Euro-Americans make up 71% of the United States population

Euro-Americans make up 90% of 14 states New England has the highest population of

Euro-Americans with 98% in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire

The West has the lowest population of Euro-Americans because it contains California, the most diverse state in the nation

Statistics of Euro-Americas Education:

88% completed high school 28% bachelor’s degree or more Educational levels the same for men and women

Income: (adults 18 and over) $30,600 for the average man $15,900 for the average woman $24,572 for all with a high school diploma $45,678 for all with a bachelor’s degree Average family income: $44,400

Facts: Most religious group of people Greatest gross domestic product More autos per household - 18% have 3 Largest homes Highest divorce rate

Stereotypes and Realities

Stereotype#1: Whites are homogeneous; they’re not ethnic As waves of immigrants from a particular European country arrived, some of them gave up their ethnicity, because they are accepted as part of the dominant group that holds most of the power.

Stereotype#2: Whites are more racist than other groupsThe existence of slavery in the South during the early American years. But it was common in worldwide until the 19th century. Europeans also served as slaves in times past.

Stereotypes and Realities

Stereotype#3: Whites are rarely victims of ethnic slurs or hate crimesStatistics do indicate that Euro-Americans are less likely to commit hate crimes than some of the other American groups.

Stereotype#4:Whites are privileged, so things come easy to themAmong all the people in the United States who live below the poverty line, over half are Euro-Americans. It is true that prior to the 1960s nearly all the better-paying, higher-status positions in business and government were held by Euro-American men, but that picture is changing. This group still at the highest levels of business and government, but other groups are making process.

Euro-American Worldviews

1. Conquering Nature: Making progress requires conquering nature. The physical world is material. Earth is not viewed as a living entity.

2. Making progress, welcoming change, moving around:

Progress is highly valued. Belief that the basic problems of the world are technological. Being economically successful is desired. Most mobile society in the world, people are willing to relocate for

better wages.

Euro-American Worldviews

3. Using a Rational, Linear, Cause-Effect Approach.

Everything has a cause-and-effect relationship, like a machine. Euro-Americans believe in the scientific method. Like practical action plans with visual and measurable results.

4. Getting the Facts, Putting Them to Work Love facts. Thinking and decision making process begins with facts and moves

forward. Continually organizing perception of the world into form that allows

them to act.

Euro-American Worldviews

5. Measuring Things Prefer qualities that can be measured In business, use statistics heavily

E.g. measuring success/failure, ability, intelligence, job performance

Stems from focus on externalized achievement Belief in unlimited physical resources; enough for

everyone

Euro-American Worldviews

6. Thinking in Either-Or Terms Numerical cutoff points; no focus on subtle differences No tolerance for paradox or contradiction

Nothing can be one way as well as the other Good for science, bad for relationships One worldview is right and others are wrong Peng’s story of a mother-daughter conflict

Ranking, Comparing, Taking Action Who’s your best friend? What’s your favorite color? Predisposition to action: simplifying prepares for action With respect to evaluating people, however, they don’t see

things as black and white

Euro-American Worldviews

7. Using Time to Change the Future Time is abstract, separate from self

“You’ve got to keep up with the times” Time seen almost as physical thing –

organize, schedule, use, and save Future oriented

Improving the present to further improve your future

Hustling around is necessary for future progress

Euro-american values

Individualistic & autonomous-> “what happens to me is up to me”

=> do not believe in luck

Make their own choices-> begin in childhood

=> Personal motivation

Euro-american values (cont)

Achievement = first personal motivation-> lead to competition-> mostly about men but women's motivation is

evolving

Work oriented-> work hard to succeed-> everybody can succeed by working-> Work & play hard = personal achievement

Euro-american values (cont)

Material comfort is almost a right-> importance of private property

- big houses

Staying young-> the elderly don’t want to be considered as old

people

The Euro-American Way of Relating

Relationship Value #1: Making Many Casual FriendsThey have many personal relationships that are friendly and

informal. They form few deep and lasting friendships.

Relationship Value #2: Preferring Arm’s-Length SpaceThey prefer boundaries of about arm’s length.

The use of space reflects a desire for privacy.

The Euro-American Way of Relating

Relationship Value #3: Fitting into Specialized RolesFocus on specialized roles where technical skills and complicated

equipment are involved.

Relationship Value #4: Seeing People as Basically Equal

Everyone is entitled to equal rights, but not everyone is presumed to have equal talent and ability.

The Euro-American Way of Relating

Relationship Value #5: Cooperating and Playing FairCooperation requires a considerable amount of coordination among

individuals and groups. They also believe you don’t have to accept other persons in totality to be able to work well with them.

Relationship Value #6: Communicating Informally and Directly

They stress simple vocabulary and use of slang to show they are part of the group. They quickly move to a first-name basis.

Euro-American Male Issues

Fear of being considered a “Sexist” or “Racist”

Dealing with “White Male” stereotypes Having to constantly apologize for history Dealing with the perception that they have no

valid diversity issue

Euro-American Male Leadership Styles & Beliefs

Perfectionism; No mistakes Progress Means More High Sense of Decision Objectivity vs. Emotions Reality

S.A.A. 3.2 What Do You Know About the Euro-American Culture?Are the following statements true or false? Why?

1. Euro-Americans are generally fortunate in that they rarely are the brunt of ethnic slurs or hate crimes

2. Euro-Americans tend to be very aware of their particular ethnicity and how it differs from others

3. Nearly 90% of Americans are Euro-American

4. A dominant Euro-American value is putting membership in an ingroup ahead of self-interest

5. Most Euro-Americans tend to see situations in black-or-white terms

6. Euro-Americans value just “being” even more than doing

7. The dominant Euro-American view of humans and nature is that we must live in harmony with nature

8. Euro-Americans in general tend to develop a few deeply committed friendships rather than many friends