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AmericanValuesattheCrossroads[1]Facedwiththerapidchangeandthefearanduncertaintythatgowithit,individuals(citizens)aswellas(and)nationsometimesseektoreturntothewaysofthepastasasolution.Intheearly1980stheideaofreturningtothewaysofthepasthadastrongappealto(attraction)manyAmericanswhoincreasinglyviewedtheirpastasbeingbetterthantheirfuture.Ithasbeenobservedthatuntilthe1970sAmericansgenerallybelievedthatthepresentwasabettertimefortheircountrythanthepastandthatthefuturewouldbetterthanthepresent;by1978,however,publicopinionpollsshowedthatmanyAmericanshadcometobelievethatjusttheoppositewastrue:thepasthadbeenbetterforthecountrythanthepresent,andthepresentwasbetterthanthefuturewouldbe.[2]Thepopular(present)appeal(desire)ofreturningtotheways(styles)ofthepastasasolution(solve-solution)totheproblemsofthe1980swasdemonstrated(shown)whenRonaldReaganwaselectedPresidentoftheUnitedStatesin1980.TimemagazinechosePresidentReaganasitsmanoftheyear'andsaidof(commented)him:intellectually,emotionally,Reaganlivesinthepast.[3]OneofPresidentReagan'sbasicbeliefsisthattheUnitedStatesshouldreturnasmuchaspossibletoitspre-1930ways.Inthosetimesbusinessinstitutions(organization)werestrongandgovernmentinstitutionswereweak.ReaganbelievedthatAmericanvaluesofindividualfreedomandcompetitionarestrengthenedbybusinessandweakenedbygovernment.Therefore,hisprograms(goal/objectives)asPresidenthavebeendesignedtogreatlystrengthenbusinessandreducethesizeandpowerofthenationalgovernment.Bymovinginthiswaytowardthepracticesofthepast,PresidentReaganbelievedthatthestandardoflivingofAmericanswouldbegintoimproveoncemore(again)inthe1980sasithaddonethroughoutmostofthenation'shistory.[4]Anumberofleadersinpolitics,education,andtheprofessionstakeadifferentapproach(method)thandoesPresidentReagan.Theybelievethatthenationmustadopt(use/makeuseof)newvaluestogoalongwith(togetherwith)theoldvaluesandthatitmustbepreparedtomakesomechangesintheoldvalueswhen(itis)necessary.[5]Whatnewvaluesshouldbeadopted?Thisisaverydifficultquestiontoanswer.However,itbecameclearinthe1970sthattherewasnolongeranabundanceofcheapenergyandthatshortagesofotheressential(basic/mostimportant)resourcessuchaswaterwerebecomingmoreserious.Thesefactssuggested(show)tomanyAmericansthatagreatervalue(should)beplacedontheconservationofnationalresources,thatis(namely/i.e.),thatAmericansshouldsavemoreoftheseresourcesbylearningtouselessandwasteless.[6]ConservationhasneverbeenastrongAmericanvalue.BecauseofthevastresourcesandspaceofNorthAmerica,Americanscametobelievethatabundancewasendless(unlimited).Insuchanenvironment,thereseemedtobelittleneedforconservationofresources.AfterWorldWarIIAmericansbelievedthattheirmoderntechnologycouldwork(create)wondersandprovideanever-endingincreaseintheirstandardofliving.Itisnotsurprising,therefore,thatintheUnitedStatesbeforethe1980s,conservationhadlittleimportance(whenitis)comparedwithsuchothervaluesasfreedom,equalityofopportunity,hardwork,andtheaccumulationofmaterialwealth.[7]Thereissomeevidencethattheexperienceofgreatershortagesofenergyduringthe1970scausedAmericanstoplacemoreemphasisonconservation.Forexample,apoll(survey)takenattheendofthedecadeshowedthat66%ofAmericansagreedwiththestatement:I'mnotunhappyaboutthepossibilityofshortagesbecauseIknowitwillencourage(urge)metouseeverythingefficientlyandnotwastefully.[8]Somepeople,however,believethatpollresultsliketheserevealonlypartofthetruth.AlthoughAmericansmayagreewithstatementssupportingthevalueofconservation,mostofthemarenotyetapplyingthesebeliefsintheirday-to-day(daily)actions(life).[9]Beliefinconservation,therefore,isstillweak(whenitis)comparedwithotherAmericanbeliefs.Itcanbecomestrongeronlyas(when)Americansseetheneedforitmoreandmoreclearly.Conservationmaywellbe(become)anewvaluewhichneedstobeaddedtotheoldbasicvaluesinordertohelptheUnitedStatesdealwithitsfutureproblems.[10]AsecondbeliefwhichhasneverbeenstrongamongtheAmericanpeopleisthebeliefthatthevalueofcooperationonanationalscaletoachievesomeimportantnational(goal)objectives.TheAmericanideaofthenationalgood(n./benefit/interest)hasneverbeenbasedonnationalcooperationbutratheronthefreedomoftheindividual.Americans,therefore,tendtothinkofthenationalgoodintermsofmaintaining(keeping)thoseconditionsthatprovidethegreatestfreedomfortheindividual.Theybelievethatanationoffreeindividualswillbenaturallystrongandprosperous.Plannedeffortsatnationalcooperation,therefore,arenotneeded.Moreimportant,plannedeffortsatnationalcooperationwouldmeanincreasingthepowersofthenationalgovernment,whichwouldendangerthefreedomoftheindividual.[11]TheAmericanvalueofcompetitionalsohindersthedevelopmentofaspiritofnationalcooperation.Eventhoughcompetitiveactivityissupposedto(=should)beconducted(directed/done)accordingtofairrules(fairplay),itdoesnotencourageaspiritofcooperation.Rather(instead/Onthecontrary),itsometimesencouragesaspiritofmutualsuspicion(suspect)ofthemotives(purpose/desire)oftheothers.Acertaindegreeoftrustinthemotivesofothersisnecessaryforthesuccessofeffortsinnationalcooperation.[12]IntimeofwarAmericanshavetemp