Culture
Good evening everyone, and I hope it finds you all in good health. It is a chilling evening, and I hope all of you are warm enough and can stand the cold for only 30 minutes at most. Today, I shall explain as best I can why culture exists and how culture is created. As we all know, the world is grouped into different countries, doctrines, races, and ethnic backgrounds. This is to say that the universe is widely diverse. However, most times, this diversity is the cause of the problems that erupt within the universe. This grouping can be termed as human categorization. I identify human categorization as the root of division in the world.
Human categorization is a leading problem in the world that causes ethnic division and conflict. However, people choose to categorize to feel a sense of belonging and familiarity with their surroundings. According to Ruth Hubbard, it is difficult for humans to quit categorization helps people identify with the world (Maki, 2011). Therefore, the purpose of classification is to award identity. Thus, this is why the world’s divided into different ethnic groups and races because then, they can identify with something.
I realized from my research that people are adequately comfortable when they are around the individuals of their kind and ethnic groups. Thus, it led me to the belief that racial discrimination is rampant in White countries such as the United States of America because they feel a disturbance of their typical environment when it is invaded with other races. That is, change is considered a disturbance by a majority of individuals. Thus, many people will react aggressively whenever their typical surroundings are disturbed. They will have a reflex to protect themselves or prevent the change from occurring.
However, I also learned the reason why even the Whites joined the Black community in the recent riots that occurred around Europe and the United States of America. This is because most teachings of cultural differences focus on physical differences. However, we cannot deny that subcultures exist, and most of the time, culture is formed by the perceptions of the mind (Maki, 2011). Thus, some Whites consider Blacks as already part of their culture and lives. Therefore, an attack on their culture takes them to the streets to demonstrate against injustice.
However, because the world has gone global and the boundaries of the different countries are presently easily penetrable, diversity acceptance becomes paramount. People from different backgrounds, countries, and races coexist together, and, in their coexistence, there is a need for peace and acceptance. Thus, I could provide a solution to a lack of categorization, but that would be impossible. This is because, if humans fail to categorize, most of them will be burdened with the fear of losing their identity. Thus, alternatively, I will suggest cultural awareness and cultural intelligence (Maki, 2011). These two involve learning, having the knowledge, and accepting the cultures of others. It involves stepping out of one’s natural environment and allowing oneself to experience the cultures of others. It helps people familiarize themselves with different cultures, accept these cultures, and alternatively accept cultural diversity. Thud, despite the existence of categorization, the different categories accept one another and coexist amicably.
Therefore, to conclude the session, I want to classify that categorization and culture are not only physical, like a lot of us have been made to believe. Culture is in mind, and we choose to make our own beliefs despite our races and backgrounds. However, we can come out of the rigidity of our minds and experience the world and learn of diversity acceptance.
References
Maki, R. H. (2011). Categorization and distance effects with spatial linear orders. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory, 7(1), 15-32. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.7.1.15