26 Key Values

Values:  Senegalese, American and Otherwise.

On Saturday, the 10^th of September, I went to Dakar for a meeting to develop the curriculum for English Camp happening at the end of this month in my town, Tivaouane.  The meeting was held at the Dakar English Language Center. 

While perusing the literature and posters on the wall, I noticed two posters identifying the cultural values of both the Senegalese and the Americans.  I read the list for the American values and was a little dumbfounded.  Is this really how we come across?  Who made this list? (An American, a Senegalese?)  When was it published?

                Here is the list:

13 Key American Values

(The Values Americans live by)

#1:  Personal control over the environment, #2:  Change, #3:  Time and its control, #4:  Equality, #5:  Individualism / Privacy, #6:  Self – Help, #7:  Competition, #8:  Future Orientation, #9:  Action / Work Orientation, #10:  Informality, #11:  Directness / Openness / Honesty, #12:  Practicality / Efficiency, #13:  Materialism / Acquisitiveness

               

Now check these out…

13 Key Senegalese Values

(Values Senegalese People Live By)

#1:  Hospitality, #2:  Mutual Forgiveness, #3:  Discretion, #4:  Restraint / Impulse Control, #5:  Peace, #6:  Tolerance, #7:  Humility, #8:  Dignity, #9:  Respect, #10:  Chastity, #11:  Faith, #12:  Minding one’s own business, #13:  Harmony

Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves…