On_the_Inside_and_Outside_of_Culture

Throughout the world, different people from all countries are connected in so many ways. The most common connection is our culture. Each country, state, city and town have different cultures that vary between the environment and the people who live within the community. Our prior generations have proved to us that we can live in harmony and in segregation. This essay is not about the individuals who distinguish us as harmonious or separated, but it is to explain how so many cultures have advantages and disadvantages to understanding cultures both as an insider and a outsider. The advantages of understanding a culture on the inside are family traditions, completely immersing yourself with in the people and practices, and understanding stereotypes to his or her culture. Firstly, the base of where all cultures thrive are from family traditions, such as going to church, serving in the military, and even arranged marriages. Every culture has its own twist to the family traditions that live for years and years. Family traditions have been around for centuries. They bring families together in time for need and in times of wealth. These traditions are different in every family, but most are derived from the cultures that they have practiced for centuries. Leslie Silko, author of the essay, Yellow Woman and a Beauty of the Spirit, writes about her family traditions that have been practiced for thousands of years, story telling. She writes, “ Grandma A’mooh would tell about the old days, family stories about relatives who had been killed by the apache raiders who stole the sheep our relatives had been herding near Swahnee” (397). Observing family traditions as an insider benefit’s the individual by giving them a family to support them. They also keep the family strong within their culture and beliefs as a group. Secondly, the people and practices that a culture possess can be death defying stunts to meditating in the meadows of the high Chinese alps. Once a person is born they automatically start to adapt the behaviors and practices of those who surround him or her. From the very beginnings of the Americas, there have been wars on our shores and around the world. Many men and women serve their country to protect their dignity and fellow countrymen. Although serving in the military is a full time job, its purpose is to also give back to our country with patriotism and honor that many Americans have endured over the course of hundreds of years. Chris Rasmussen, author of the article Generations of Warriors 1-61st Veterans Reunite, Meet Current Counterparts, tells about his scheduled reunion with veterans of Vietnam. “ Making the reunion happen was no easy task, Marzan, who had began looking for names and ages that matched his plaque he had that listed their names…. After being reunited…. The veterans had the chance to meet and speak with basic combat training soldiers…. Krumweide (Lt. Col. Who located the veterans) said it was beneficial for soldiers to meet some veterans”. Lt. Col. Krumweide had the veterans speak with soldiers to let them share experiences on and off the job. This was a strong tactical movement towards true victory of his soldiers. Rasmussen illustrated this reunion to identify our patriotism as our culture grows everyday. Completely immersing yourself in a culture can be the most beneficial way to understand your fellow participants and their experiences. Lastly, stereotypes evolve from every culture around the world. As sad as it seems people judge others for what they believe in. believers soon come to realize who what where why and how these “others” come up with racial slurs to make them feel inferior. Most of the stereotypes that we know today are negative and insulting. For example, Judith Ortiz Cofer, a distinguished writer who came to the U.S. from Puerto Rico in 1956. Cofer explains how she felt when an American boy leans in for a kiss at her first formal dance. “when I didn’t respond with sufficient passion, he remarked resentfully: I thought you Latin girls were suppose to mature early. As if I were expected to ripen like a fruit or vegetable, not just grow into womanhood like other girls” (393) Cofer reacted just as any girl would, disgusted and horrified. But not many girls are faced with the cold truth that they are looked at as simply sex symbols. Understanding the stereotypes of your own culture plays a huge toll in self respect and self-efficacy. Self- efficacy is defined as an individuals belief that he or she is capable of achieving certain goals or performing at a level that can influence events in life. People who have a high level of self-efficacy, tend to have positive attitudes and have personal control over his or her life. these people understand that stereotypical people have similar struggles in their life than their own. Such as; family, friends, work, school, and most of all money. Therefore, understanding a cultures stereotypes helps people establish a sense of self-efficacy. The disadvantages of understanding a culture on the inside are believers that are close minded to other cultures, hostile tendencies against others like terrorism, and negatively altering a culture to a new set of unrealistic standards. Firstly, all cultures have the negative believers that tend the preach that a culture is wrong for not having the same ideals of the culture they practice. These people seem to attach others through acts of desperation that can be described as belittling stereotypes to attach that culture as a whole. For example, a priest in Florida, Terry Jones, planned to burn copies of the Koran to serve justice to the Islam leaders who created the attach on the twin towers on 9/11 of 2001. This act has different effects of different people. Some think that this will make our withdraw from middle eastern territory more difficult and is a disgrace to the American culture. Russel Goldmen, author of the article Who is Terry Jones' Pastor Behind ‘Burn a Koran Day’. Goldmen states that “Jones’s plan to set ablaze thousands of copies of the Muslim holy book on Sept. 11th a day he had dubbed international burn a Koran day has become a flashpoint… David Patraeus weighing in to say he believes that the display would be detrimental and dangerous to the U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan” The American culture is a “melting pot” that is ever more expanding and changing. To decide that radical movements towards revenge will help our society is a assumption that can not be concluded. To continue to the subject of close minded cultures, terrorism is the most extreme behavior to attach a culture that is in their eyes, inferior. As stated in the paragraph above, the attach on the twin towers was most definitely a premeditated act of terrorism that has left the American culture weak and limping. The radical leaders of the middle east are a great example of the kinds of people who discriminate not on the people of a country, but for what they believe in. Lastly, cultures are ever more changing and evolving to new positive platforms that influence decisions that benefit the community. On the other hand, there are the select few how radically alter the culture to unrealistic standards. For example, Adolf Hitler nearly swept an entire race off the face of the earth to make room for his Aryan race. This unrealistic plan was selfish and reckless as a leader, although Adolf was a tyrannical dictator of the 21st century. Benito Mussolini, another strong dictator, in office from December 24th of 1925 to July 25th of 1943, killed about 4 million more people than Adolf Hitler did and is not recognized for his efforts to kill his fellow countrymen. These dictators make steps to reach the masses of their culture. The steps that these radicals take are conferences, strikes, and riots and even holocaust. The advantages of understanding a culture on the outside can influence multicultural diversity, help strengthen the world holistically, and bring more understanding to the many cultures around the world. Firstly, there are many cultures around the world that people don’t even know about. This is why it is important that people study and practice these cultures to help inform us. For example, anthropologists throw themselves into cultures to better understand how the group of people practice and or worship. Wikipedias definition is as defined- “Cultural anthropologists study cultural variation among humans, collecting data about the impact of global economic and political processes on local cultural realities. Anthropologists use a variety of methods, including participant observation, interviews and surveys”. To help us understand these cultures around the world to help spread the word Cultural anthropologists learn and sometimes adapt these cultures permanently. Many of these men and women want to understand them to help with cultural diversity. It is highly important that we understand what is out in the world. Secondly, cultural diversity is a wide spread movement that is moving throughout the world. The better we understand our neighbors, the better the world is strengthen holistically. All of the 7 billion people that live on planet earth have one thing in common, life. In the article The Challenge of Human Rights an Cultural Diversity, by Diana Ayoton-Shenker, Ayoton-Shenker writes about the lack of cultural diversity can result in “poverty and homelessness”. She writes, “ There is an understandable urge to return to old conventions…and the familiar, seemingly secure, sense of one’s identity. Without a secure sense of identity amidst the turmoil of transition. People may resort to isolationism, ethnocentricism, and intolerance” To prevent this from happening, cultural diversity is one of the most important part to world peace. Once we have undertood what is takes, we can work together to achieve the maximum amount of success. When we further understand what life is like in another’s eyes it sometimes helps us understand how we can change the world together into a more complex pile of ideas and beliefs. The trick is to untangle it and then piece by piece puzzle it back together. Lastly, at the farthest ends of the world and the most remote locations, we find new cultures that have yet to be shared. Most of these indigenous tribes can be found mostly in the Amazon rainforests. These tribes chose to stay to their cultures pure origins, and wish not to associate themselves with the industrial jungle that surrounds it. There is an estimated 50 tribes that have with held themselves from the world outside of the Amazon. Each of the 200 total tribes have their own unique culture. The disadvantages of understanding a culture on the outside can negatively support racism, stereotypes and supports the process of separating cultures and races to their own comfort zones. Firstly, racism is a word that we don’t use to often. Instead we use the words that describe people as the races that they are from. The different cultures all over the world negatively support the differences we find in our class mates and colleagues. Even walking down the street we see people who are different then ourselves. People chose to single each other out with names and slurs that are not so nice. For example, I went to the mall one day to find some new shoes that would go with an outfit I was planning on wearing the first day of school. Standing in line I was confronted by 3 African American women who accused me of stealing their Dolce and Gabana hand bag that one of the women left lying by the fitting rooms. I explained to them that I most certainly am not a thief and D&G is not of my personal taste. They insisted to search my bags and purse for their missing accessory. Of course I tol them no and to leave me alone to my personal business, but they kept demanding that they take a look. I gave in and threw my things on the floor to satisfy their rude accusations. To their surprise they did not find their wallet. The women apologized and moved onto the next victim. These women assumed that I had taken their items because I was white and I dressed with confidence. We find this correlation in every part of the world. When we observe other cultures we see them comfortable with each other, socializing with the people that are their same race or color. When others try and understand why they are comfortable with one another then seem to overlook that the observers do the same thing with their race. Racism goes hand in hand with separating the culture and races into their own comfort zones. These comfort zones help protect them from negative influences from other cultures and people who attack them. Observing this phenomena shows us that people tend to group together depending on their beliefs, culture and race. But that is not so with Arabs. Edward T. Hall, author of The Arab World writes about personal boundaries within the Arab culture and how is it different from our culture. “ Their hierarchy of loyalties is: first to ones self, then to kinsman, townsman, or tribesman, co-religionist and/ or countryman. Anyone who is no in these categories is a stranger. Strangers and enemies are very closely linked, if not synonymous, in Arab thought” (426). He goes on to explain that no matter who you are in our town or village, if you are friend or a foe you may still enter someone’s home or place of living. To contradict the Arabs cultural beliefs, Americans personal boundaries are defined as what we own is ours and no one is welcome to it unless they are given permission. Completely opposite beliefs, but yet we still share the opinion of how ourselves come first, then family, friends etc. As an American, I am entitled to my own opinions. This essay is not a tool for myself to preach to others about what is right and not right. Its purpose is to inform the ill informed people about how cultures can be accepted. The advantages ad disadvantages of observing a culture as an insider and as in outsider comes with opinions and personal beliefs about a subject and how they affect society. The cultures that we are aware of are never ending and ever growing. They affect our style and quality of life everyday. To severely observe these practices can help us all understand how cultural diversity can grow and grow until we have reached world peace. This can only be achieved when all cultures can bind together peacefully. Works Cited Silko, Leslie. “Yellow Woman and a Beauty of the Spirit” . The McGraw-Hill Reader, 10th ed. Gilbert H. Muller. McGraw-Hill, New York: 2008 Chris Rasmussen, “Generations of Warriors 1-61st Veterans Reunite, Meet Current Counterparts” www.army.mil. Cofer, Judith. “The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria” . The McGraw-Hill Reader, 10th ed. Gilbert H. Muller. McGraw-Hill, New York: 2008 Russel Goldmen, “Who is Terry Jones' Pastor Behind ‘Burn a Koran Day” abcnews.go.com