Well, 'valued trait' is about right.Nick_A wrote:Where at one time individuality was a valued trait....
I can think of all sorts of somewhat contradictory things any society might list as a 'valued trait'; honesty, smartness, unselfishness, ambition, sense of humour, seriousness, thrift, generosity etc., so it isn't saying much. Occasionally the USA (like other societies) produces moral stories in which a selection of these things feature, but I do not see that US society has ever given any particular weight to any of them. Indeed, it might be that if a particular trait is particularly valued in a society it could be a sign that it has become rare.