Twitter as the Embodiment of the American Ethos

danfrank.ca

One of the most striking contrasts is the American obsession with status and hierarchy. In the U.S., it’s not just accepted but expected that higher-status individuals receive better treatment in society. There’s an acceptance of relentless self-promotion, boasting, and constantly striving to rise to the next social group, which doesn’t seem to exist outside of the USA.

I would be cautious of the characterization of Americans as hierarchy enforcing status seekers. Having family from both the USA and Canada, I believe this categorization is not correct. Plenty of Canadians believe that "higher-status individuals" should receive better treatment and what one might call "constantly striving to rise to the next social group" a second might call "The American Dream". To be clear, I'm not saying America is "better" than Canada or vice-versa, but I think using social media platforms as proxies to contrast them is not helpful.

I'm not in either country. I am pretty sure people trying to obtain higher social status is universal.

It might manifest in the US and similar countries as described, but it is everywhere.

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