while “selfish” is not inherently a bad word it can have negative connotations + i’m using it that way here:

america is so extremely selfish it’s vile. we have been conditioned to think that each of our individual freedoms will be respected because america = land of the free.

we consider america the “land of the free” when, in fact, we have paradoxically restricted many of our freedoms by literalizing this phrase.

america is an independent culture (whereas interdependent cultures exist elsewhere (shit. i wish i was there.)).

those from independent cultures are more likely to be focused on the “i” and modifying spaces for the self, whereas interdependent cultures are more likely to modify the self to adapt to the spaces they are in.

(adjusting the space for me vs. adjusting myself for the space)

thus (my main point) america’s independent culture has its cons in that many americans hyper fixate on the self and opt out of sacrificing any of their individual freedoms.

by trying to attend to the protection of their individual freedoms they lose sight of a greater freedom.

if more americans were willing to evaluate their actions, they would see that independence and individual freedoms do not equate to freedom for all.

ie. the freedom to wear a mask (or not to) does not actually free us from the spread of covid.