Culture and identity

There is an innate desire for every person to be a member of something bigger than themselves. This is the desire to belong to a certain group that has shared interests, values, and beliefs. Once a person is able to identify with a certain culture, it is an indication that they are ready to carry on the legacy of that group which has been passed on them from generation to generation. They are also able to relate to the group’s belief system and hence are able to unify with their culture. This means that a person will be able to identify with the element of their culture and at the same time with their internal elements that form their identity. Cultural identity characterizes a person’s inward and outward aspects (Fong, 3).

Each and every person has their own unique cultural identity. An identity is a character that people gives out to other people while a culture is an image that an individual has for themselves. Culture has a big role in shaping the identity of a person. Culture is responsible for shaping a person’s beliefs and morals that are deemed to stay for the rest of a person’s life. It is through a culture that we are who we are today and this influences the people and things that we relate to our daily basis. Background and the manner of the upbringing of a given individual place a distinction between people thus making each person different (Berry et al, 43). We all hail from different cultures and this is the sole reason why we possess a different personality from the other people as we all have different experiences in our varying cultures. Through interaction with other people within our societies enables us to establish personal identity.  However, it is important to appreciate this diversity as it is what makes life different and enjoyable.

Each and every person requires a certain order in the day to day living and this result in a need for cultural identity. Therefore to become a part of any society one has to accept and implement all of the prevailing elements in a society. With the assimilation of these manifestations, a person’s life is made orderly and predictable and allows a person to be actively involved in a culture. In accepting the cultural norms and beliefs which are acceptable within a society, an individual is able to have a self-identification on themselves in accordance with the cultural patterns of the given culture.

Although at some time some of these cultural aspects such as race and religion may be used against some people, there is a place for them to draw the strength that they need. For instance, being an African American gives the individual the courage that they need so as to overcome the high rate of discrimination that they face. It is in this sense of belonging to a community that these people are able to unify and fight strongly as one group against prejudices (Berry et al, 43). Cultural identity, therefore, establishes unity amongst all of its members especially in times of need and in giving people in the various groups the strength to level the ground for their children and the future of their society.  Without the aspect of cultural identity, it is easier for an individual to be overwhelmed by the pressures of the world (Fong, 4).

Cultural identity is built up and sustained through the sharing of information and knowledge in a collective manner such as traditions, food, heritage, customs, language, and beliefs. A person’s cultural identity is established in relation to other individuals within a distinctive social context. All of the cultural identities are defined by acknowledging the presence of other cultural practices. With the current globalization, there has been an increase in the intercultural practices and this has resulted in the formation of complex and multifaceted cultural identities (Hauser, 2). The intercultural dialogue, therefore, is important in constructing a cultural identity as it also empowers individuals to realize the similarities and the differences with other people and in defining who they are.

To sum it up, it is important to note that culture is of great essence in our society as it is the identity of a state. Therefore, without culture, the society is impractical. Culture is the foundation of any society which guides them in the ways of life. From a young age, cultural identity is an element that influences the way through which young people virtually come up with confidence, wellness, and mental health. The manner in which people behave, eat and conduct themselves is solely dependent on the cultural identity. However, cultural identity can also be used against a person. Therefore it is through this sense of belonging that they are able to draw their inner power so as to rise above all of their situations within their community. Therefore it is true that cultural identity impacts a person both internally as well as externally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work cited

Hauser, Robert. "Cultural Identity in a globalized world? A Theoretical Approach towards the Concept of Cultural Identity." (2012).

Berry, Theodorea Regina, and Matthew Reese Candis. "Cultural identity and education: A critical race perspective." The Journal of Educational Foundations 27.3/4 (2013): 43.

FONG, M. (2004). Communicating ethnic and cultural identity. Lanham [u.a.], Rowman & Littlefield.