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Role of culture in identity formation
Role of culture in identity formation
Cultural Identity Environmental influences
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There are many differences in cultural practices between the Hmong and Americans. In the first chapter, soon after birth, the father in the Hmong family dug a hole at least two feet deep in the dirt floor and buried the placenta. Traditionally, if it was a girl, her placenta was buried under her parents’ bed; if it was a boy, his placenta was buried in a place of greater honor like near the base of the house’s central wooden pillar. In America, there are many policies in place that prevent people to take home the placenta of their children. It is usually taken to the laboratory and then disposed of as “biohazardous waste”.
Asians first arrived to the U.S. in 1847, in a group of Chinese students. They come from islands within the Pacific Rim and the southern, eastern, and central parts of Asia (Joyner, Brian D.). Asians contributed to American culture in a boatload of ways. From bringing products and practices to influencing American language. Buddhism, Martial Arts, and even yoga, are some of the practices they brought with them when they came.
In the 1800s there were many cultural differences surrounding Japan and the United States that directly resulted in differences in the opening of trade. The two countries shared the focus on the future and growth and development, however their ideology and methodology towards growth greatly differed. The Japanese culture placed a strong emphasis and focus on harmony, known as Wa, amongst their people and their country. This ideology is clearly seen through the Tokugawa’s leadership and their decision to close the country off to immigration, integration, and trade. This opposes the American ideology that favors Manifest Destiny and the interaction of nations.
Another difference in the social aspect are their warriors. Japan’s chosen warriors are the Samurai and Europe 's is the Knight. Both the Knight and the Samurai have codes, weapons, and armor all of which are different than each others. The Knight 's code was the code of Chivalry which is based on justice, loyalty, defence to those who can’t, faith, and nobility. The Samurai’s code was the code of Bushido which was based on fidelity, politeness, virility, and simplicity.
The Maasai culture and the culture of most Americans are similar and different in a variety of ways. One way that America is like the Maasai is that, overall women, in America still tend to do housework while the men are expected to work and provide for the family. Although these roles are less enforced and defined in America, they still exist. Also, both cultures have partiarchial societies. Again, although this type of society is not as strict in America, it is still there.
As a result, extroverts are more sensitive to rewards. When performing certain tasks, extroverts are better at handling multiple tasks whereas introverts sometimes becoming overwhelemd with large amounts of information - nevertheless, introverts are more likely to work harder on a problem they don 't understand unlike extroverts who give up quicker. This is because introverts and extroverts face a task differently. Introverts understand that rewards aren 't everything - instead, you have to look outside the immediate rewards and look for your flow - something you care about.
I was born and raised up in South Korea for twenty years, and thus I know Korean culture very well. I also understand American culture as well, because I lived and worked with Americans for four years. I decided to choose this topic, because in my experience, I have noticed a lots of differences between Korean culture and American culture; for example how Korean or American treat older people, how Korean or American act in the gym, and about the differences in foods. I picked those subjects because I have experienced the Koreans and Americans side well enough to understand both and I’m currently in South Korea with military men and women. I have Korean friends and American friends spending time together sometimes, and then I can observes differences and similarities.
Cultural Influences on Asian American Body Image The serious issues pertaining to body image continue to affect the lives of many minorities living throughout the United States today. Asian Americans and their ancestors have endured great scrutiny when it comes to their physical appearance and unattainable standards of beauty. Traditional practices like neck stretching and foot binding have deeply influenced the way Asian Americans view themselves amongst other ethnic groups, as well as their interpretation of beauty.
The second dimension was compared to individualism. This scored high in the United States favor at 91 points compared to China at 20 points. This shows that the American people are more independent than China. The American people have the freedom to say, write and express their own people. The Chinese people are very limited of freedom.
The influence of American culture on China in the contemporary era Culture is defined as a configuration of learned behaviors and results of behavior whose component elements are shared and transmitted by the members of a particular society(Linton 32). American culture, one segment of American civilization, is a typical culture model extensively internationally transmitted in the contemporary era. Thanks to aborigines in American Continent and large numbers of immigrants from worldwide, American culture presents the characteristics of diversity and tolerance which principally affected and structured by various culture branches based on mixed ethnic make-up. The inauguration of Americanization is a gradual process, accompanied and being supported by strong economic and military. The rise of the United States to economic and military preeminence after 1945 made globalization often as Americanization(McNeill and McNeill 268).
“True hospitality is marked by an open response to the dignity of each and every person. Henri Nouwen has described it as receiving the stranger on his own terms, and asserts that it can be offered only by those who have found the center of their lives in their own hearts’” (Norris 197). Every culture throughout history has had its own view on hospitality, religion, education, and government. Sometimes, when those cultures meet, those views clash.
In the beginning of the school year, I defined an Asian American as American that participates in Asian culture. As I read “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri, I always questioned Gogol’s identity. Even though he’s the son of first generation Americans that come from Asia, he often tries to run away from his heritage . So, would Gogol be considered Asian American?
Coming to the cultural differences between Americans and Indians, the Indians are very much family oriented and much respect is paid to family values. On the other side, Americans culture values individual values and is more prominent than the family values. Another difference is that American culture appreciates mobility while the Indian culture love stability. On the other side, Americans think of self-reliance and independence while Indians are more dependent on other. Lastly, Indians value elders’ views in the decision-making process while the American culture teaches people to make their own decisions.
The culture of a country is defined by its own beliefs, its ways of life, its arts and other factors. Cultural differences are important because it distinguishes people living in a certain country from other countries. The differences between American and Vietnamese culture are striking, and they deserve rigorous examination. For example, marriage has the same meaning in both countries, which is the bonding of a man and a woman, but the wedding ceremonies are very unique.
Learning to appreciate the differences between the two cultures is important and helps to broaden the understanding of cultural differences. Western cultures are based on individualism rather than collectivism. In many Western societies, emphasis is placed on individual rights unlike Chinese culture, where the country, society or family are based above self. At first glance, Chinese is obviously different from Western Culture.
