Find Happiness Through Culture
by Do you feel you lack a cultural identity? Do you feel “culture” is unnecessary in your life? Finding your culture could be the first step to finding happiness in life.
What is Culture?
Culture is often defined as a set of practices and activities to which a particular group of people assign some significance. This often relates to types of art, dance, music, and other performance rituals.
However, what people often misattribute to the term “culture” is a geographical or racial connotation. It is true that many of the cultures of the past place a great amount of significance on the region in which the culture was created or the ethnicity and religion of the creators; however, culture is not always exclusive in this way.
Cultural Misconceptions
In modern times, especially in Western societies, culture often extends beyond the boundaries often assigned to it. And though people tend to believe the only existing cultures are those with a religious, regional, or ethnic link, this is not the case.
There are a number of false beliefs people have about culture. It is very important to understand what culture truly is because culture is an integral part of human happiness.
Culture is Determined by Race or Ethnicity
Truthfully, it is no longer possible to define race in terms of country of origin. Race refers exclusively to the color of one’s skin and the way one is perceived by others. Therefore, race has nothing to do with culture, since it has nothing to do with one’s personal background.
Ethnicity actually refers to one’s cultural background; however, the meaning of the term has shifted to refer more to one’s nationality. Like race, nationality has much less to do with culture as it had in previous centuries. Migration and globalization have made it possible for people to share their cultural practices across regional boundaries. This allows people to practice or convert to cultures outside of the country from which it originated.
Some cultures have no specific country of origin, which means there is no limit to where they can be practiced. For example, white-collar business people have a culture of their own, just as agricultural workers do. These cultures can be found all over the world.
Culture Equals Religion
Many Jewish traditions are considered both cultural and spiritual practices. Many other religions also have a cultural basis. However, a tradition like prayer/meditation is prevalent in many different religions as well as secular cultures. Then there are emergent traditions like the Goth subculture which have no link to religious practices. Religion can be a compliment to culture, but both can be independent of the other as well.
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Post CommentLiane Schmidt
On October 9, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Nice, interesting work. I love the emphasis that you can identify with more than one culture.
Blessings!
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
Anonymous
On November 23, 2008 at 11:03 am
My mother was English of Irish decent, my father was Polish but had a Jewish mother, so technically as far as Jews are concerned he was Jewish. I think because both my parents were what I call ‘diluted’ I didn’t grow up with any difficulties about who I was, what culture I was, what nationality I was. Those sort of labels were all affixed to me by people who weren’t part of my life and who perceived me as having to be ’something’ or to think of myself in those terms. But I don’t. I don’t even think of myself in terms of my name. I’m more than a name even.
One of the questions mixed culture children are ALWAYS asked is the kind of ‘which side are you on question – the English or the Polish? If there was a war – which country would you fight for?
Once again mixed culture kids don’t think of being more of one side than the other – certainly no more than any child of two English parents would think of which parent they favour most. Both parents are people who come from DIFFERENT families. And so too are mixed culture parents – they’re just people who come from DIFFERENT parts of the world. But still – we all belong to the human race don’t we?
Perhaps we mixed race and mixed culture products are the result of a natural evolutionary process. Who knows.
Grace Kirk
On November 23, 2008 at 11:06 am
The above comment was by me by the way.
Street Saint
On November 23, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I agree that mixed children have a hard time since people often want to know what they identify as. Similarly, though I have brown skin, I don’t consider myself “African American.” Mainly because my family is from Haiti and not Africa, but also because I was born and raised in America. I feel guilty calling myself African-American because I have never been, nor am I close to anyone who is from there.
I am simply an American. It shouldn’t matter what color my skin is.