Progress, Not Perfection

Why is it that we Americans are such staunch individualists? Why do we trumpet the inherent nobility of the rights of individuals? Maybe it can be explained by the influences of Greek philosophy on the Western world. Maybe we are just really selfish. It could be for any number of reasons, but the reasons behind it are not important. The fact is that American culture heralds individuality as a basic human right, and I am curious about that. Why are we so adamantly opposed to socialized medicine, or social welfare? Where is the safety net for human error in a society that insists on 'personal accountability'? For what their worth, I have some thoughts on the subject.
In contrast with US norms, Japanese culture places more importance on the society as a whole than the individual alone. For instance, school children generally walk to school each morning, and they do so together, all wearing uniforms and bright yellow hats so that they are easily identified. Every neighborhood has its own 'captain'. He/she is responsible for getting all of his/her classmates to school. Additionally, parents in the neighborhood take turns serving as crossing guards at each intersection along the way. In this system it is not merely the responsibility of the individual student to get to school on time, it is his classmates' responsibility to make sure he gets there. And all of the parents participate in the process by standing watch by the intersections. When the kids reach junior high they are allowed to bike to school. Of course, there is only one standardized bike that is allowed so as to encourage a spirit of equality. Why are we, as Americans, so committed to the importance of showing off our own style and wealth with 'unique' bikes and clothes? Is it more important that we express our individuality than that we be mindful of the greater good? Even as adults in Japan the idea of group responsibility is evident. If someone chooses to drive drunk and gets caught, the passengers also get a fine. In the States we insist that it is entirely the drivers fault, while in Japan it is acknowledged that people make mistakes and it is everyone's responsibility to help them avoid such errors in judgment.
Japan is far from perfect. Women are treated as less than equal in many cases, bureaucracy is rampant, and cultural norms are often too strictly imposed. But the notion that the we are all responsible for each other is noble and effective. There is a lot wrong with America in my opinion, and I have spent many years moving from country to country trying to find utopia. It doesn't exist. But a friend of mine recently told me that our goal should always be progress, not perfection. Neither America nor any other nation on earth will ever be perfect, but maybe we can learn a few things from our friends and at least make some progress.