That's one way of framing it. The other way of framing it is that individual liberties are more valued than group securities in America. For example the individual liberty to own a firearm is (currently) more valued than the group security of not having firearm related deaths.
Group securities require giving up individual liberties.
Hard to say which way is "better" or "winning". America is divided on which way to move. One side optimizes for life over liberty, the other side optimizes for liberty over life.
You can see it happening right now with covid. One side cares more about preserving lives, the other side cares more about preserving liberties.