...Culture and Identity Immigrants have help shaped both American culture and identity, but many people disagree, what do you think? Many people are mixed in America, they can have a black mom and a white dad, which are two totally different cultures and ultimately combined into one, when they have their child. Also, immigrants have helped shape identity by having many different identities from different countries coming to America. In Richard Rodriguez’s essay “Blaxicans and Other Reinvented Americans” he shows how immigrants shaped American culture by having mixed races, making America having mixed nationalities. For example in the essay Rodriguez states, “One doesn’t walk down the street decide to be 40 percent Mexican and 60 percent white”...
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...Introduction America and Vietnam are two distinctive countries with many differences. The two countries are on different continents, and there is a wide difference between the two countries. The culture, beliefs and practices of the people are different. However, as the world becomes more global, and as people become more exposed to different cultures, the differences between them seem to be narrowing. This is because of the willingness of the people to adopt different cultures, while at the same time maintain some of the elements of their own culture. There are several similarities and differences between America and Vietnam, specifically, in wedding ceremonies, food and the education system. II, Development 1, Wedding ceremonies Wedding ceremonies are significant for couples in both countries. The weddings in both countries are organized, and there are certain rituals that the couple intending to get married has to observe, before and during the wedding ceremony. In both countries, couples have engagement ceremonies before holding a wedding ceremony. In both countries, the couples exchange rings during the wedding. In both countries, the couple often holds a reception after the end of the wedding ceremony. The wedding reception is a time for the couple to share one of the most important days in their lives with their families and friends. In both countries, the couple often receives gifts from friends and family. The wedding ceremonies in America and Vietnam are different in several...
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...Not everyone likes that America is a diverse country. By making this commercial it upset a lot of people. It started with the coke commercial and the individual videos from each singer, then they made a video about how each person felt being able to live her in America and how they have felt about all of this being done, and then finally there was the deadspin quotes where people were mad that the commercial came out and the Stephen Colbert report on the whole situation. The commercial was made to show the diversity in America and how we can all be one but after seeing all of this is shows me how many people are really against America being diverse and having people here with different nationalities. I however, think that this commercial was very inspirational and intriguing. This commercial has opened up my eyes and showed me how diverse our country really is. What I also didn’t realize before watching this commercial was how horrible and disrespectful Americans can be to foreigners. While watching this commercial I saw how upset these people were about how they have been treated and how different and out of place that they felt sometimes being in certain groups. No one should ever have to feel the way that they have had to feel in their life. Most of the people that were in this commercial were born and raised here in America. Just because they have different nationalities and have learned things about their cultures and know different languages does not make them foreigners...
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..."America has no culture"? Every country has a unique common heritage or joint experience. Therefore culture can be defined as the complex system of values, traits, morals shared by society. All the choices we make reveal something about our personality, surrounding and our upbringing influences these choices. The way we speak, dress, the food we eat, the music we listen to tells allot about us and how we came to be. Everywhere we look in America we can see different cultural signs. But does America realy have a culture? A variety of different arguments have been put forward about this issue. Some people think that America has no culture, while other say that America definitely have its own, unique cultur. In this essay I will consider arguments for my opinion, about this issue. I will provide one of the mosto people opinion and summarize everything. Most of people say that America's culture is a combination of every culture in it, on it's own and combined with other cultures to make something new, out of something old. They have a diverse culture because the people are from different states. This is one of the things that make Americans culture interesting because of the beauty diversification that their culture has that helps them in uniting as opposed to bringing division. American culture is a Western culture, largely based on British culture with influences from other parts of Europe, the Native American peoples, African Americans and to a lesser extent Asian...
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...America is truly a “melting pot.” coming from Toronto, although not United States land, they are very similar, and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, I experience this blending of cultures everyday. And having attended a nearly all white school when I was younger, I vastly prefer high school which was a mix of latinos,whites and blacks, where students come from all backgrounds. Some Americans may not be aware of it, but the integration of cultures in America has changed popular culture, music, and daily life for the better. Each culture adds different values and a different perspective to form the entirety that is American life. On the weekends, my neighbors sometimes decide to serenade the entire block by turning up their traditional Spanish music. I don’t mind, however I am Columbian,but the message that the music delivers is universal. The soulful blend of vocals and acoustic guitar speaks of heartache, while the fiery trumpets and trombones speak of passion. No other music delivers so direct and powerful a message about love than Hispanic music, a music which has influenced modern hip-hop. Every afternoon, I hear on the streets the lively, hip-hop beat of “Reggaeton,” a music that blends Jamaican and Latino influences. But the influence of different cultures is hardly restricted to music. Not only have contemporary movies began incorporate elements from diverse cultures, foreign films have also become more popular in America. These films broaden our understanding of the...
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...their culture, and became a full-fledged “American”. Over time a new metaphor was created. America’s society was described as a salad bowl. Unlike the melting pot, the salad allows individuals to maintain their shape, flavor, and other special characte1ristics. The special characteristics represent culture, language, and beliefs. The salad bowl theory of society enables individuals to have more freedom, helps open up the creativity and flow of ideas, and gives society an arsenal of strengths, and therefore, America should resemble a salad bowl rather than a melting pot. One reason why America should resemble a salad bowl...
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...Illegal immigration should be allowed in the United States because they bring culture and diversity. BBC News states that “ the melting pot imagery has been contested by the idea of multiculturalism, the “salad bowl theory”, or as it is known in Canada, “the Cultural Mosaic”, whereby the immigrants retain their own national characteristics while integrating into a new society” (“Melting pot America” par.20) . BBC News put into words that while immigrants are trying to settle into a new society and new culture they can express their lifestyle along the way. The process of integrating into a new civilization is all about coming together as a whole which creates “America’s Melting point” status. BBC News explains that immigrants have been coming...
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...Intercontinental University Social Structure HUMA 215 – Topics in Cultural Studies 9/8/12 Abstract Cultural syncretism has transformed and shaped our world today; because of encounters years and centuries before our time we have religion and even art. Our modern culture was contributed to by the happenings of yesterday. Social Structure Introduction The legacies of cultural syncretism in the Americas and Africa can be compared and contrasted with the resistance to cultural change that westerners experienced in China and India. These encounters have left many legacies of change and differences in the culture today. Had syncretism not occurred or if syncretism had taken root during earlier encounters in China or India the world today would be different. Various cultural factors in would affect the outcome of syncretism tremendously. Compare/ Contrast Cultural Syncretism Cultural syncretism was active in some societies but not in all; syncretism was not affective in more cultures because some cultures were simply more developed. With the expansion of cultural syncretism, it was easier for Africa and the Americas to adapt than China and India Westerners. Africa and the Americas separated into different tribes which caused them to be weaker than China, India, and the Westerners who created a nation (Sayre, 2013). An example of this cultural syncretism is the Aztec tribe, which was a fairly large tribe; the Aztecs had so many neighboring enemies because of war. As a...
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...can also see the impact they have had on many diverse cultures and societies today. Cultural Syncretism and its Impact Introduction Cultural syncretism occurs when two opposite cultures mix and blend their cultural beliefs, whether they be political or religious, to produce or to start a new culture or religion. Historically, syncretism has been seen as an attempt to reconcile disparities between various cultures. Africa and the Americas both had help with other factors like weapons, religion, and technological advancements. When it came to cultural beliefs, China and India’s values were very different. They would operate from outside of the traditional beliefs, which made them much more resistant to syncretism. Compare and contrast the legacies of cultural syncretism in Africa and the Americas with the resistance to cultural change Westerners encountered in China and India. When different aspects of cultural philosophies or religions blend together and disparities are compromised, cultural syncretism occurs. According to the 1830 American census 2.3 million people were of African descent and there was only 12.8 million in the country (Joyner, 2003). Also of that 12.8 million 2.44% were free Africans, 15.56% were enslaved Africans and 82% were free white people (Joyner, 2003). Within the United States, the large number of Africans along with their culture greatly contributed to the culture and history of America. The people brought with them knowledge of science...
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...Different cuisines between America and Vietnam America and Vietnam are two distinctive countries with many differences. The two countries are on different continents, and there is a wide difference between the two countries. The culture, beliefs and practices of the people are different. However, as the world becomes more global, and as people become more exposed to different cultures, the differences between them seem to be narrowing. There are several differences cuisines between America and Vietnam. Americans and Vietnamese enjoy having a wide variety of food options. Both cultures eat cooked foods and vegetables, and they add fruits to their diets. In both countries, people eat three main meals of breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the day. The food and food cultures in the two countries differ in different ways. Food preparation in America can take remarkably little time, or no time at all in case people choose to order. Some people buy precooked food, which takes little time to prepare. In Vietnam, the food culture is different, as Vietnamese will spend a lot of time in food preparation. Americans enjoy eating out at restaurants and ordering ready-made meals. Vietnamese prefer cooking their food and eating in the home. Many Americans choose to buy their groceries once a week. This is different in Vietnam, where many people buy groceries daily. Americans do not have a defined staple food. Vietnamese consider rice their main staple food. Forks, spoons, and knives are...
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...America is “considered” to be a land of opportunities, promises, independence, hope, and freedom. The poor have little to no chance to get richer, while the rich remain rich. America has always been characterized as the land of dreams and opportunities. Immigrants entering America took these characterizations to heart. The dreams and aspirations of stable, wealthy, and happy lives in America became known as the “American Dream”. The basic idea of the American Dream generally has stayed the same throughout time, although the majority of Americans seem to take the Dream for granted. The first settlers arrived to the New World in search of a treasure: life, liberty, and freedom. This treasure was and still is the American Dream. Now people from all over the world come to America in search of the same Dream; some even die trying. People were not as materialistic as people are now; they just wanted happiness. As time passed, people became more materialistic and began to take for granted what they were born with. However, the “American Dream” hardly ever turns out like any individuals have anticipated. America is often considered as the “best country” in the world, but behind this façade, many people struggle daily to earn enough money to survive. America has had its times of despair and advances but through it all we have learned new ways, cultures, and overall advancements in life. Throughout the American Ways book we were given to read and analyze, there were...
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...ESL 1600 PEIYUAN YAN Final Paper Intolerance Problem Part 1 - 1: There are many different cultures, religions and political parties in the world. Everyone is different, different people have different cultures, religions and experiences, so intolerance is a major problem in our lives. Intolerance is the act of not liking someone, or respecting them, because they are different. An intolerant person wants everybody to act in the same way. Intolerance is a principal problem all over the world. It has been an international problem within last 10 years, as all of the wars originate from problems such as religion, race, politics and so on. “Religious oppression and intolerance in China”, “African in America” and “Ghost Dance at Wounded Knee” all talk about intolerance problems. Firstly, I will talk about the “Religious oppression and intolerance in china”. In the last 10 years, the Chinese government relentlessly suppressed non-registered religious groups. Falun Gong is a good example of the suppressed. In order to suppress the Falun Gong and other non-registered religious movements, the Chinese government used the anti-cult movement to limit and suppress them. The Chinese government said: “Falun Gong is a cult, cults do not obey the law, they upset the social order, and they often use the deceit of creating a religious freedom and a stable society to deceive more people to join their religion. They participate in political activities, some of them even tax evasion, drug trafficking...
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...Being American The article being American explaining the culture and the author express feeling how being American is not easy. Being American is melting pot because everyone you meet have different personality, culture, language, religion. For example this explains Spanish teacher explained teen was opposed to pupils the objection was perfectly sensible (king pp 593). Some people from around the world identity America as the most popular place in the world. I believe other countries in the world never say USA because they feel comfortable saying America. When I went to Africa, Mexico, or Holland they could not say the word the United States of America. It consists of many different...
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...an Anti Bias Adulthood As America progresses, we encounter many forms of bias but still demand equality. In our country, it is a constitutional right to be treated equally. We encounter forms of bias in our every day to lives in the simplest forms, but it is the human self that decides what a fair course of action or thinking is. Being judgmental begins with the way we people are brought up. If being educated about the progressing world around us helps to keep negative judgments to a minimum, we could slowly make our way up on the “Happiest Countries” list. We call it equality and unfortunately, we are far from perfect when it comes to treating out neighbor like we’d want to be treated. The way to achieve such a feat can only be done by educating the public about their innate bias towards others. However, success is not achieved overnight. We get a little closer to total equality every day, even if it is a slow journey. The first step to make progress in this journey is for people to be educated. An anti-bias curriculum needs to be implemented into classrooms nationwide because it will lead to greater understanding between mainstream America and non-mainstream America, promote acceptance of diversity, and allow the already diverse to accept themselves. Bias is everywhere. It is impossible to live life without some form of bias. However, what anti-bias education seeks to do is enlighten people about the differences and similarities between different ethnicities, gender identities...
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...and religion are two of the biggest topics and reasons for discrimination today. This is because people do not understand others beliefs and ways and instead of learning more about a person or group of people they make jokes about them or choose to hate those people. It is important to learn about different cultures so we have a better understanding of that culture. I chose to look at the religion of Hinduism because I have no first-hand knowledge of this religion and I wanted to learn something about the religion. Hinduism can be traced back as far as 1500 (bc). (The Columbia encyclopedia, 2013). Hinduism also has nine beliefs. Reverence for revealed scriptures, all pervasive divinity, three worlds and cycles of creation, the law of karma and dharma, reincarnation and liberation, temples and the inner worlds, yoga guide by a satguru, compassion and non-injury and genuine respect for other faiths. (Hinduism today, 2009). The one thing that differs from most religious groups is the belief in reincarnation, Christianity, for example believes that you only have one life and when that life is over, you go either to heaven or to hell. The one thing that Hinduism has brought to America is yoga, as it I has become very popular over the last few years. One example of where Hindus have been discriminated against is in Malaysia. According to the pioneer (2010), Hindus in this country have been denied human rights in order to attempt to persuade them to convert to Islam. I do have...
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