ENGG 1100 Exploring US Culture
Winter 2016
Self-Reflection
1. Think about what we’ve studied in ENGG 1100. What are some things Americans values in their culture? Why?
There are many principles that Americans value in their culture. Some I knew before taking this class, such as showing respect is an essential principle of American culture. It is included everywhere. People find respect whether at courses as essential part, training, or between employees at work place. Respect is one of the major thing that I have seen American society practicing. It is very important to make everyone comply with the norms and ethics of the society. As a result, respect is one of the important value I consider before and after this class. For instance, The Story of An Hour by Kate Chopin, it shows how people in the story are respecting Mrs. Mallard because of her husband death. It was written in 1894 which is too old. However, it shows respect of Mrs. Mallard's emotions.
Also, I learned other things after this class. For example, one of the major thing that I did not know before this class is
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Second, I want my dream come true. Since I was young I wanted to be a Computer Science guy. Therefore, I tried my best to start at this major at the University of Denver. Currently, I am doing my bachelor on CS and I want to start on the Master degree and the PhD after. Besides, there is also one dream that I want to accomplish which I am feeling most of the time that I should get a US citizenship. I do not want to vote, but I am very motivated to be an American. I like the people, the American Culture, even the weather. Even though it is hard to apply or to get the citizenship since I have already singed a paper to go back to my country when I finish my degree. However, that idea will last forever. Finally, I am still thinking of coming back here if I am done with my first dream which is to be a Computer Science expert, then I will focus on my other
American culture is a nontraditional and individualism culture. Americans are open to new principles, ideas, and practices. Many Americans are also more concerned about themselves and their immediate family and friends. Music and television exhibit aspects of both the nontraditional and individualism culture. The focus of American culture is technology, consumers, capitalism, sports, and politics. Almost everything in America revolves around technology, such as cell phones, computers, TV, social media, video games, etc. Money seems to play a major role. Wealth is an achievement everyone wants to have, living the American dream is getting rich. Advertisements constantly convince consumers to buy products (even products they don’t necessarily
There were many continuities and changes in cultural beliefs in the Americas during the time period 1450-present. Some changes were, when africans and natives were forced to learn christianity and syncretic religions started by mixing with native and christianity beliefs. Some continuities are, some native beliefs still survived and religion was still important to others.
American Lore is just like any other lore it has myths, legends, and fairy tales, but American lore shows the history of America and how we live today, with a twist to the story. With Legends, myths, and fairy tales it expresses the way americans think and how creative we can be to come up with these stories from things that could actually happen. Legends are based on historical facts Myths are based on religion and gods and goddesses. Fairy Tales are made believe not real, includes special creatures. Tall tales and legends are more based in American lore and is heavily based on history and the many traditional stories that are spread from generation to generation. American lore is based on, “power social status and prestige, control or dominance over people and resources. Achievement which is a personal success through demonstrating competence according to social standards . Hedonism pleasure or sensuous
I grew up in a small town, which was highly populated with individuals of Basque descent. My grandfather severed in the military and was stationed in Basque Country. Despite the large Basque population surrounding me, I knew very little of the culture and traditions commonly found within the Basque Country. “The homeland of the Basque people, commonly called the Basque Country, is located on the Bay of Biscay at the western end of the Pyrenees mountain range, straddling the border of France and Spain. The nearly 8,000-square-mile Basque Country is divided into seven administrative districts, four in Spain and three in France. Basque culture is distinctive from that of the rest of Spain in many ways” (Thomas, par. 1). This assignment has allowed me the privilege to interview and spend time with Maria Begona Narvaiza-Peck. I was able to experience the Basque culture through conversation, photographs, museum, and meals.
Culture is like the gentle, cool breeze that sweeps about the smoldering summer air to the delight of all, but misconceived by many of in its origin and purpose. Many wipe the sweat from their brow yet covet the whirls of natural coolant produced by the Earth, ignorant to the fact that these phenomenon work in conjunction and would be better together. In the same way, many countries, especially America, boast of their nations vast diversity and wealth of material items, but are not aware of the etiology of said objects. Japan is a nation of knowledge, mystery, and music that the common American does not know very much about.
There are many factors that ensure the centrality of European culture and institutions. Many of these factors are still visible in modern day and have been adapted from European ideologies. The factors that maintain a Eurocentric ideology are: language, religion, education politics/officeholding and participation in the economy. These components all have been influenced by European principles and have been maintained since their establishment. Language is a big part of any culture and even though the United States does not have an “official” language, the English language is very dominant and has great influence from English colonists. There are many groups that are dedicated to establish English as the official language, however, this causes
Unfortunately, the lifestyle of those who lived in early 20th century is, in many respects, unrecognizable in contemporary America. Before the age of radio, television and other modern digital media, viewpoints were limited by existing technology. For example, communities gained most of their knowledge of the world current events through newspapers. Neighbors served as their primary social resource and commerce was regularly restricted to their proximate locale.
Bellah notes that American cultural tradition values personality, success, freedom, and achievement in ways that leave the individual in isolation and ultimately, it confuses our own personal preferences. This stems from preferences and desires changing and a lack of a moral framework provided from a biblical connection and civic republicanism. Like Levin, Bellah also discusses the concept of nostalgia as it relates to the Golden age of American life. Individualism makes individuals reliant on past nostalgia of the good life and ultimately more concerned about their own private investments, rather than the public good. This leads communities into becoming classist, provincial, and exclusionary. Also, Americans want love and independence
In the story of Samir, he illustrates that globalization and local culture wrestle with each other to determine what people deem correct. In his account, Samir portrays the westernized medicine’s dominance over an indigenous Costa Rican medicine man. In addition, Samir highlights many benefits that globalization opens the door to. For example, globalization has opened him to other cultures and languages allowing him to become more understanding of other people and to notice a unity among all people (Culture and Globalization, n.d.).
When people think of missions, they think its missioners going out to help the poor by giving them money, food, or something materialistic. Missionary’s primary goal should be to bring honor to God. Missions are not just providing materialistically but it’s a way to grow relationally. We aren’t meant to bring out the great potential in God’s creation, by being relational to our selves, with others, and with the rest of creation for we all have a broken in spirit.
For an American, Asia is a distant land that is polluted, poor, and unmodern. For an American taking a business trip to Asia living amongst people with different values, a different culture, and a completely different life. For my dad this became reality. He had been given the chance to experience a small part of Asia through a business trip. However, for him this wasn’t just a business trip and yet not a vacation. This was the chance he was given to experience more of the world for himself instead of what other people or what the news told him. My dad is one of the most intelligent people I know both in school, in a career, and in life. He was valedictorian of his class at his Notre Dame high school and graduated from Clarkson with an
Out of 196 countries in the world, America is known to be "the land of the brave, the home of the free". A country that is filled with independence, privileges, pride, and power that is constantly growing everyday. With diverse people seeking for opportunity and freedom, there is no other country that has the same experience. Being one of a kind, humans have traveled across the ocean to come to America. Many had went through adversity to settle in this country because they were determined to start a new chapter in their life in America. America gives people the opportunity to work, opportunity to experience the American culture, and a chance to establish a new beginning.
Coming from afar, alone in this foreign land of freedom and liberty, I was chosen to meet with my “grandma” from the USA. I am delighted to chat up with some Silents from America, and it 's my chance to soak up some American culture and history. As a foreigner who never had the opportunity to talk to someone older than 50 in America; it 's a pleasure to observe how thing will end up. Initially, I am not suspecting much nor less from the conversations, but to my amazement, it opened my eye quite a bit to how different culture have different styles of generation core values and perspectives in life. And as a Thailand-born Taiwanese college student who flew all the way from Asia to America, this is a blessing to experience.
American culture refers to the traditions and practices of the people of the United States. Culture comprises of the nature of buildings, religion, music language and marriage. The population of the United States is more than 320 million people making it the most culturally diverse country in the globe. Books such as Crabgrass Frontier, Manifest Destination and Muscular Christianity are important sources of information about American culture. This paper is a reflection on the methods that these books use in providing information about the evolution of the US culture. The paper examines the relationship between these three sources and ways they challenge or inform an understanding of the American society during the late 19th and early 20th century. There is an analysis of the efficiency of the issues tackled by these books in influencing the contemporary discourse surrounding American culture. The major argument of this paper is that Crabgrass Frontier, Manifest Destination and Muscular Christianity provide reliable information about the evolution of the US culture and they supplement each other through the use of relevant examples.
The United States of America being the third largest country in the world with more than 315 million inhabitants, consists of multicultural societies with ethnically diverse population. Since there are a lot of foreigners, the US culture has evolved in such a way accepting and tolerating other foreign cultures. US is very much influenced by protestant work ethics according to which people believe in themselves and their efforts to attain the goal of self-actualization and success. The rich diversity in the culture brought by foreigners, prevailing values of protestant ethics, hard work etc. have helped US to emerge as a superpower in the past years. Nearly every religion had its impact on US culture in one way or the other. The