Friends living together, doing laundry, and laughing
Do they understand culture and diversity?
My
definition of culture is defined as the shared patterns of behaviors and
interactions...cognitive constructs and affective understanding that are
learned through a process of socialization.
My
definition of diversity is to recognize and attempt to appreciate the variety
of characteristics that make individuals unique. (Personal Communication)
My definition of culture: The
entire collection of a people group's way of thinking or doing things.
My definition of diversity: Distinct differentiation in personality, life experience, and worldview, that both sets people apart from one another and makes them valuable to one another. (Personal Communication)
Culture is the
traditions that your ancestors have done for years and what you learn from
them. EX English are known for drinking tea and having afternoon cookies. They
are hard workers and speak English.
Germans are known
for their different foods that they eat such as Sauerkraut and sausage. Singing
German songs and celebrating Oktoberfest are a part of the calendar year.
To me diversity
is the difference between the different ethnic backgrounds that people come
from. It is how we feel about things influenced by our backgrounds and where we
live our environment (Personal Communication)
These are the three of the four responses that I received for this
assignment. The fourth person said that
she thought culture was the “Good Ole American Way”. Diversity is being opposed to the American
way. This comes from my sister which follows in all the thoughts of my original
family. I think that this shows how extreme ideas my family expresses from my
ideas and thoughts.
The first two comes from two completely situations. The first is a Facebook friend that I have
not met but she knows my oldest son and his father.
The second one is a young lady that teaches at a small university in
Atlanta, Georgia and one that I served in Guinea, West Africa for a time. We
were roommates and she called me her African mother. There was only 45 years different in our
ages. Her husband is a teacher at a
private high school as the instructor for ancient languages. This is important as Katherine and Rob have
unique perceptions from all the others and people who have had more experience and
connect with many cultures.
I think that Katherine, the second one, has more of a concept of how
culture and diversity would impact children.
I know this from the fact that some of the people she worked with in
Guinea were the children. She is an
ethnomusicalist, analyzing their music and recording, studying and presenting
it back to the people. She not only
analyzed their music but fell in love with it.
She stayed in their small villages to learn their ways and observe with
her heart the ways of the Guinean people.
Looking at others perspectives on culture made me realize that there
are more people than I wanted to admit in my family that have little concept of
people outside the range of their contacts.
My cousin, the third definition, and my sister do not take into
consideration of others but their ways as the right way.
The definition, good ole American way is not a far fetched definition. Many of us connect our identity to the more dominant group in society.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post about the different definitions of culture that you received. I think that many people think of their way as the "right way", although most would not openly admit it.