America has spiraled into a culture of entitlement having expectations for one's self-interest or a false sense of privilege. Americans are trying to keep up with society and live fast-paced lives. A society that favors instant gratification over hard work and allowed too many entitlements, as a result have taken them for granted. America has become a culture of dependency that undermines initiative, self-respect, respect for others, and a decrease in personal responsibility. .
The entitlement mindset had infected the minds of Americans, with the expectation of receiving something for doing nothing. .
In Mary Arguelles article "Money for Morality" she talks about a boy who found $600 and returned it to the man it belonged to (p.50-52). The man gave him a $3 reward, and the boy's teachers were "outraged at the apparent stinginess" of the man for only giving him $3 (p.50). The teachers raised $150 for the boy, because they felt he should have been recognized more for his honesty. The boy had done a good deed by returning the money and a reward was not necessary. Doing a good deed with the expectation of a reward is not a good deed at all. The boy returned the money because it was the right thing to do and if the teachers wanted to do more for the boy that is fine but criticizing the man is wrong. The teachers need to reevaluate their values. Not just teachers, all adults should lead by example and if the boy had seen his teachers satisfied with the $3, he too would have been satisfied. Honesty and good ethics should be expected rather than commended. .
Americans have consumed their lives with having the biggest house, nicest cars, and expensive jewelry that we have lost sight of the more important things in life like morality and spending time with the ones that we love. Bill McKibben describes in his article "A modest Proposal to Destroy Western Civilization as We Know It: The $100 Christmas" how his family and church community have decided to limit their Christmas budget to $100 because they "wanted more joy" (p.
