In "American Bioscience Meets the American Dream," Carl Elliott states, "If you want to understand America, you must first understand how a country whose citizens are known the world over for their outgoing self-confidence should emerge as a leading consumer of drugs for social anxiety; how a nation dedicated to the freedom of the individual should enforce standards for physical beauty with such rigidity that grown women race to restaurant toilets to throw up their dinners; and how a nation famed for its dedication to the pursuit of happiness should also be such a fertile market for antidepressant medication."
What is Elliott saying about America in this quote? Do you agree or disagree with his assessment? Defend your argument.
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Elliot is saying that America's values or moral seem to be built on self-confidence and that Americans are constantly reminding each other what beauty is or what it should be. I agree with Elliot. I feel like America’s standards on beauty are unattainable. If everyone was able to be as beautiful as the other, we would be all the same. There would be no flaws or distinct differences in each other’s appearances to be your own individual. If our nation is “dedicated to the freedom of the individual”, then why should it matter if one is beautiful or not? Shouldn’t America praise someone who is different or someone who cares more about boosting self-confidence in themselves and in each other? It just seems very vain and shallow that people are being told what beauty should be and how someone should look.
I think that Elliot is trying to say how we as Americans are so proud of things like the pursuit of happiness and individuality but are hypocrites when it comes to that. I mean how can we as a country say that we are all about individualism but can not respect people for what they look like and have to make a standard for beauty. Also how can we be boasting about self confidence but be the most depressed country in the world. We at times seem to be hypocrites and don't really stand up for what we claim to be. In this country we have made a standard for beauty and success and are judged according to these standards. So how can we claim to value individuality but then shun those who are not found to be in this standard of beauty or success. I think Elliot makes a great point showing how we as Americans have to live up more to the things we claim to be.
Elliot is saying how americans are all hypocrites. People talk about how this country is all about freedom of the individual meanwhile in order to be part or noticed in society, people have to be a certain image such a slim, attractive, muscular, etc., and i think thats not being truly free. i agree with elliot and that he discusses about important points where america has a certain image to uphold.
I think that Elliot is saying that America is a world that is based on surface appearances and not what is on the inside. The "self-confidence" that america is known for is merely a "front" and now the rest of the world is seeing that through that "front" to our flaws. These flaws have manifested themselves in the form of eating disorders, plastic surgeries,etc. It also displays the mean by which Americans will go to to display confidence to the world. I agree with his assesment. Our world is characterized by what is on the outside and because of this need or desire to display self confidence, Americans have trapped themselves into thinking that plastic surgries and anorexia is the answer. We are taught in school that "what is inside is what counts" but we are sending mixed messages to the rest of the world through our plastic surgery craze and the steadily increasing numbers of individuals with anorexia. America is a nation of hypocrites and everyone esle can see it.
Despite the fun I have living here, I feel like there is a lot of backwards thinking in America. We latch onto ideas and stick to them no matter what. As our sources of media change, so do we, the people. So then we have a time of shallowness that is eating our country up. Insecurity is driving people into the ground. We just plain old don't feel secure because of all those obnoxious orange alerts. Yes, I am proposing that insecurity isn't only person to person but an overall attitude in the country. Then from that, people react more sensitively to anything else, such as beauty. But hey, yo, that's what the drugs are for. The best thing is your doctor will get you some if you really sell your case.
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