i or we mentality?

Patrick is an Australian who took a year off from work to travel and to, in his own words, “Discover what’s important in life.” I met him on a boat in the Indian Ocean

The Americans have turned from a “We” to an “I” mentality. Today’s American society places enormous demands on all individuals. Much of the pressure comes from social media, where everybody is, and especially the young ones, highly-exposed, 
whether they are a success or not. To be successful at work, to be fit or beautiful doesn’t seem to be enough. There are always higher goals to beat out there, something that will impress others even more. This constant pressure is in all levels of the American society--it’s just different types of goals to aim for depending on your social situation. It can be anything from, “Am I invited to the hot fashion show in town?”, “Are my friends the right ones to hang out with?”, “Do I listen to the right music?”, “Do I eat the right food?”, “Must I write a blog to fit in?” to “Do I write interesting tweets?”. Before social media, it was okay to have a job you personally enjoyed; now, your friends must like it, too, just so you can fit in. I mean, before it was stupid to be fat, today it’s completely brainless.

The burden on each and every person is now so much higher if you’re not succeeding, because everybody sees you, and judges you. And, of course, everybody wants to show their best side. But that has a price; it makes Americans today very self-focused, and insecure wondering if they’re living their life the right way, if they match the standard of today’s society, a standard that increases every minute of the day. Americans constantly ask themselves, “What can I do to appear better?” instead of asking themselves, “What can I do to make others feel better so that I can also feel better?”

If Americans turn back from an “I” mentality to a “We” mentality, I’m sure the quality of life will increase radically!