What are you getting from your neighbor? And why do you think that pensions aren't part of the American way? They are very much the American way, at least when the objective is to develop a high standard of living for our nation and its citizens.
When govt. raises taxes to pay for public employee union pensions, that is taking from the neighbor.
When the company can not pay for a pension, that means the pension was too generous for the output produced by the company and the PBGC which guarantees the pension, takes tax payer dollars to pay it off.
The way to avoid taking money from anyone is for people to have a 401k. Whatever you put in, you get out.