I took a Russian literature course in college, titled "Outsiders, Supermen, and Ordinary People." The professor, a young woman from Russia who matched the description of all I'd imagine when told that the professor is a young woman from Russia, often provided much-needed insights on Russian culture as we discussed Pushkin, Lermontov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Dostoevsky, among others. She also brought up characteristics of American culture, sometimes to contrast with the Russian perspective.
As the course title implies, we gave a lot of attention to the place of individuals in society, both as the individuals perceive their place and as society sees it. One day, the professor said: "One thing I cannot understand is how Americans so often believe that they can be anything they want to be." She went on about how one can wish and try and pursue the goal of being one of history's great writers, but only certain people are actually capable of reaching that level.
By saying this, she not only challenged the Disney-esque message that if we try hard enough we can all achieve our dreams, she also suggested that talent - genius, even - is an inherent quality. Some of the class sided with her, while others fought back. However, remembering this, I forget which stance I took. I can imagine taking either one. And maybe that's the thing: subjectivity and open-mindedness can create a wash that makes nearly anything look possible, yet nothing definitive.
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Potential. It is very Russian to distrust potential. Americans embrace it. Be all that you can be. Raise yourself by your bootstraps. You could be President someday. And although it usually takes a confluence of circumstance to bring it off, sometimes people get ahead through simple perseverance. That teacher seems to think that Americans truly believe we can be anything without regard for our inherent talents, but I think our choices are guided by those talents and by our opportunities. Sometimes talent is overrated, and many times talent remains unfulfilled potential. The operative word in America is "Opportunity." If you prepare yourself, the chance an opportunity to advance may present itself is much greater in our society. And that, I believe, is the source of our belief that you can be anything you want to be.
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