"Above all else, me"

It sounds ridiculous to say it out loud, but it's a core value in our culture and a critical determinant of our health.

Pioneer of cross-cultural psychology Harry Triandis helped define ideas of individualism (a cultural doctrine that prioritizes the interests of the individual over those of the group) and collectivism (vice versa) in research.

He and his colleagues linked individualism - especially U.S. individualism - to high levels of emotional stress, physical and mental illness, and several forms of social pathology including crime, suicide, divorce, and child abuse.

In collectivist cultures, conversely, Triandis et. al. observed that more and better-quality social support made it easier for individuals to cope with unpleasant life events and avoid stress.

Since stress is widely considered to be a precursor of disease, these findings have been used to explain relatively-low levels of chronic disease that have been found in many collectivist cultures. For example, heart attack rates are significantly lower in Japan compared to the U.S., a gap that has narrowed rapidly as Japan has become more individualistic.

"Above all else, me" is a system. Before one decides to either work with, avoid, work around, or change any system, one must first see it and its effects.