SOCS 350N Week 2 Discussion 1 - Culture is in the Air

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SOCS 350N Week 2 Discussion 1 - Culture is in the Air I mentioned in the week's introduction that culture was a lot like air. It is all around us, but we really don't pay attention to it unless it ... is absent or smells odd. The same is true about our culture. We don't think much about it, and we go through our lives feeling that things are the way they are because that's the way they ought to be. This week, start sniFng the cultural air around you. What do you learn about our culture? Identify some things that are distinctively "American." Don't just use material culture (objects and physical symbols), but include non-material culture such as language, values, ideology, ethics, behaviors, and the like. What is it that makes us distinctive in the world? The first things that come to mind when someone says "American Culture", would be freedom, sports, and food. In American, unlike other cultures and countries we are entitled to freedom of speech, equal rights and opportunities, freedom to practice whichever religion you prefer, education, and much more. In other cultures it is unacceptable to practice any other kind of religion, for women to hold higher positions than men, and not being entitled to one's own opinion. We are lucky to live in the society and culture we do and to have such freedom. When I think of American culture, sports plays a huge role. I am from Queens, NY and we are all about those YANKEES! You can't have sports without food either. Whether it be to BBQ or make different plates of finger foods. American culture is also big on fast-food, which is not necessarily a good thing, but it tastes oh so good! Melting Pot vs. Mixed Salad - What's Your Vote? Hi everyone, I vote "Mixed Salad" because I think that although American culture is made up of so many different cultures, each is uniquely identifiable. I live in Northern VA close to Washington DC where you encounter Americans from so many different cultural backgrounds- while it is true that they are American they still maintain certain cultural norms; for example there is an area called Annandale that often feels like I am back in Korea because they are so many Korean restaurants, grocery stores, cosmetic stores, beauty parlors etc. We also have a huge Ethiopian population here, where although they are American certain Ethiopian cultural norms are observed. My husband is Haitian American and in Deerfield Beach Florida there is a huge Haitian community who although they identify as American still eat a diet that is uniquely Haitian. Oktober-fest is traditionally a German celebration, however on almost all the military bases we've been associated with it is celebrated by German Americans as well as those who have no German heritage at all. This is the beauty of the United States- the freedom to be who you are. Culrure Shock Any example Hi everyone, I have travelled to a lot of places (Thailand, China, Guam, South Korea, Zimbabwe and Botswana), and the biggest culture shock I ever experienced was moving to the USA. A few days after my arrival we went out to eat- and just longing for some familiarity I thought it would be good to have KFC. We went through the drive-thru and I tried to order a "Zinger burger" (at most of the KFC's I'd encountered in my travels they all had Zinger burgers), the attendant who took my order was all baffled and came through sounding rather condescending (or so I thought) and said that they didn't have Zinger burgers and that she didn't know what I was talking about. I ordered a chicken sandwich instead and when she asked me what side I wanted I said fries (once again most of the other KFC's had fries)...again baffled and probably wondering if I had just crawled out from under a rock she explained that they only had potato wedges. Needless to say that experience totally rattled me and I was inconsolable for about an hour wondering just what in the world I had gotten myself into. That being said I am glad that the first place I lived in when I moved here was El Paso, TX; it felt warm and cozy and felt like I was living in another country while living in the USA! In my opinion it was a great place for me to transition and adapt, especially given that 5 months after my arrival my spouse deployed for 18 months! I feel that I adapted really well and because of that foundation have been able to cope with life in other parts of the country. Assumptions Topic I would assume they were foreign or hippies and leave. Especially if my kids were with me. [Show More]

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