A nation's desirable traits and basic values are often best expressed through the proverbs or common sayings of its people. Below we enumerate twenty basic American values by way of the following list of proverbs. The values they seem to be teaching are on the right. Some may be familiar; some may seem strange to you. The point is that these cultural values help explain what makes an American.
Cleanliness is next to godliness. CLEANLINESS
A penny saved is a penny earned. THRIFTINESS
Time is money. TIME THRIFTINESS
Don't cry over split milk. PRACTICALITY
Waste not; want not. FRUGALITY
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man DILIGENCE;
healthy, wealthy, and wise. WORK ETHIC
God helps those who help themselves. INITIATIVE
It's not whether you win or lose, but how GOOD
you play the game. SPORTSMANSHIP
A man's home is his castle. RIVACY; VALUE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY
No rest for the wicked. GUILT; WORK ETHIC
You've made your bed, now lie in it. RESPONSIBILITY
RETALIATION
Don't count your chickens until they're PRACTICALITY
hatched.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. PRACTICALITY
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. AGGRESSIVENESS
Might makes right. SUPERIORITY OF
PHYSICAL POWER
There's more than one way to skin a cat. ORIGINALITY;
DETERMINATION
A stitch in time saves nine. TIMELINESS OF
ACTION
All that glitters is not gold. WARINESS
Clothes make the man. CONCERN FOR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again PERSISTENCE
Take care of today, and tomorrow will take PREPARATION FOR
care of itself. THE FUTURE
Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry PLEASANT OUTWARD
and you cry alone. APPEARANCE
1. Value systems vary in different cultures. What are some of the basic values in the Ukrainian society that are the same as those listed for the U.S. society? What are some different or unique values held by the Ukrainian society? Substantiate these values through proverbs in your own language.
2. Examine the twenty basic American values exemplified through the use of proverbs. Which of these values do you consider very important and which not very important? Can you think of any proverbs in Ukrainian or Russian that express the same values?