Americans culture is based on social Darwinist value related to our capitalist system. The higher net worth is the value of the person. But in reality we go through several competing sub systems of value as we grow. We place self worth in numerous traits according to the value they return in different stages of our lives. For example in school popularity is a value, physical power is a value, sports ability is a value and so on. Recently youth revert to spectacle to bring attention to themselves such as taping a beating of another youth purely for the value of spectacle.

All of the above is based on I am better than you. In adulthood a persons self worth is often judged and valued by three main traits of wealth, power and knowledge. Persons in these position are granted titles of Sir or Madam and an open acknowledgement is made that this person is of higher value than I. A doctor, lawyer, professor, law maker, bank manager, a scientist, a inventor and on and on are respected if they have gained their position on their own merit. But other wealthy people, like Paris Hilton are not respected for their wealth because they haven't earned it directly.

Persons making drastic moves from one level to another of value without earning it often race to return to the former level... examples are lottery winners... they win three million dollars and are back where they were when they won the prise within a decade in more debt than they were before the winning.

Oddly, the American culture in the last three decades has placed value on diversity. They change the rules in universities and lower qualifications to introduce diversity. I cannot explain this phenomenon when throughout American history of its culture individual accomplishments have been the value of the person. If someone can explain why diversity is welcomed in our culture please do so.