The Cartesian method requires that all elements of a problem and its solution be thoroughly mapped out before any action is taken. Intellectual mastery of the situation is what matters. Americans prefer to take action as quickly as possible and deal with details as they crop up.

In American thinking patterns, the shortest route to action must be the most efficient and the most practical, and therefore the best. Americans make decisions and implement them rapidly, making adjustments as they go.

The French prefer to map things out completely before taking action. The shortest route may not be the most scenic one, and though it will get you to your destination quickly, you might miss something important along the way. Only when they have an intellectual control of all aspects of a plan do they feel confident enough to implement it.

Au Contraire: Figuring Out the French – By Gilles Asselin and Ruth Mastron