> Tend to like a lot of formal rules about everything.

I would amend to: what Americans don't like to accept are what they see as preventable mistakes. The least American sentiment of all is "shit happens". Americans sometimes say that, but they don't mean it. What they really mean: "this shit shouldn't be allowed to happen". Hence the rules, and (in the extreme) the litigiousness.

> what Americans don't like to accept are what they see as preventable mistakes

Most high-achieving societies are this way.