The influence of our Culture

Going back to last week’s posts, we talked a little bit about the family system and how everyone is raise in a different way whether that person lived in the same area or race, all household families have their own set of rules and reactions to certain things or events. We also talked about how this family systems theory can explain how everyone is different in their own unique way. Likewise, we are all social creatures. We are born within a family and society that has its own set of values, beliefs, ways of thinking and material value. Whether it is the same race or same area living, we all have different cultures.

By definition, according to Webster dictionary, the term culture means “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” or in other words the set of values that a certain group can have.

In this context, my culture has shaped me in my own ways. Coming from a Mexican family, Latter day Saint faith, and California resident, I have grown up with various sets of beliefs that I have come to recognize as I have lived in a different country with its own culture and lived in a conservative area with minimal diversity. Living in my Mexican bubble, I thought that everyone thought the same, but as I have moved all around, I have come to know by experience that this is not the case.

I love my Mexican Culture! I embrace it as much as I can. Even though I was born in the United States I was raised knowing I was the majority. My neighborhood was compromised by 90% of Mexicans. As Mexicans, we value family and love to celebrate together. We love little accomplishments, because that means we get to make a “fiesta” out of it. We also value our food and have pride in its unique flavors of spice and savory meats. I have also come to know within my own family, ( I’m not saying that all Mexicans are like this) that women are expected to know most of the housework duties and men go to work outside the home. Knowing this meant that my sister and I got to learn how to do our own laundry by the time we were 12, and my little brother did not have to learn these duties. As I have grown up, I have come to see that this is not going to be the case for my own family. I’m not saying that I will abandon all my Mexican culture, but I am suggesting that there are some things in my own family culture that I will not practice in my future home. I think that I have learned from some of my American friends, that they learned, either male or female, to do chores. And I value work and know that this helps for future job opportunities. So in my home I will have all my children know the value of work, whether they are male or female.

I have also come to learn from different sides of views within government, where California is predominantly liberal and Idaho is predominantly conservative. Many people, in these times, believe that they are in the “right side” of different issues, and believe that anyone who disagrees with their way of thinking is thinking irrationally. There is no way of having a conversation with someone who disagrees. And I believe that this way of thinking is not exactly the way we should be going about with different opinions. We should all be able to respect each other’s opinions and have a decent conversation to try and understand the other person’s way of thinking and why they think that way. This is another example of things that our political culture has implemented in us. “If you don’t think the way I do, then you are completely wrong”. I chose to be tolerant and respectable of other’s yet I can still have my opinion on different topics that I believe are right. There needs to be a balance when dealing with different opinions.

So I guess what I am trying to explain is that I have chosen to learn a little of different cultures , and practice it in my own future home to establish a balance of my personal beliefs as to what will be better for my families’ progression and growth.