According to the authors in Distant Mirrors what are the core American values? Discuss the origins of American individualism. Discuss how these core values may also be related to other areas of American culture. Discuss the treatment of the elderly in the United States. What does this say about our society? Discuss the American education system and how it deemphasizes intellectual development and critical thinking. Do these other areas of American culture relate to individualism and self-reliance? Use specific examples from the Distant Mirrors book.