The Typical American Family?

While listening to the radio this morning, I heard a broadcaster state, "The Royal Family does not in fact look like a royal family, but instead the typical American family."

This is quite shocking to me. I believe this statement represents a larger gap in perception of what America actually is. The common American (what is that even defined as now?) seems to be stuck in the idea of a 1950s America with a few modifications.

Now I'm not saying that the change in our actual composition as a society is negative, for there are positives and negatives to almost every situation. The only point I want to make is that as a society, the labels no longer apply. We are too diverse in terms of family life, income, beliefs, cultures, intelligence, environment, and many other categories to even start a statement with "the typical American such and such."

So referring back to the first sentence, the new Royal Family looks like the ideal traditional family, not the typical American family.

The Traits of Satisfaction

As we journey through life attempting to satisfy the most basic of our desires, we look for clues, hints, secrets, directions on how to achieve satisfaction of those desires. In regards to that statement, it is interesting to see the commonalities of people who seem to be able to achieve what they desire in life. While there are those who achieve either monetary success, power attainment success, family life satisfaction, or personal happiness success without capturing all of them, there are examples of people who have encompassed them all.

From a variety of sources, there seems a certain few common traits that these people possess, regardless of their gender, age, or race. While each of the traits may be presented differently to overcome the negative impacts of societal perception on certain genders, ages, or races, they successfully any disadvantages these societal constraints may have presented. I will list these traits (in no particular order) or characteristics and feel free to comment with any opinion you may have on my list or for sources of examples of the characteristics.

1. Alpha personality without negatively impacting more than a few others.
2. Adaptability to surroundings.
3. Common courtesy towards all others above and below them.
4. Attention to details in their work, profession, family life, people's names, etc.
5. Belief in themselves regardless of others opinions.
6. The perception of failing as a step on the ladder to achieving their dreams and visions.
7. Passion for what they do.
8. Appreciation of what has made them the people they have become.
9. The recognition and admittance of when they are wrong.
10. A faith, dream, or belief in something larger then themselves (whether religious, the good of humanity, the future of the world, etc.)

Please feel free to give input!