> I think the individualist streak in American culture is better shown by people being unwilling to seek help from friends/family. And our families are, cross-

> I think the individualist streak in American culture is better shown by people being unwilling to seek help from friends/family. And our families are, cross-culturally, unusually small. I talk to my parents every few weeks. Not so much my aunts and uncles. I have a few cousins who I see every fifth Christmas or so, and anyone more distant than that may as well be unrelated. This seems to be common within American culture, but it leads to weak social networks - unless you go to the right college and can network there.