American Culture And Its Impact On My Family

I originate from a long history of different cultures and societies. I will start with my father’s family of experiences, from him and my grandmother growing up on the Hawaiian Islands. My grandmother lived in Hawaii when it was only a territory. Her expectations growing up were to attend school and keep up with her father’s expectations of being a tennis player. She had a challenging time with her expectations of being a homemaker, an athlete and experiences of segregation from a Hawaiian stand point. Our ancestors where forced to diminish their native norms and had expectations to live an American life style. My grandmother always felt pushed to be like the wealthy Americans when all she desired to do was go surfing and dance hula. She rebelled quite often and ended up marrying a Navy man who continued to discriminate against her and continue the norms of inequality of women. From there she moved to the mainland and my father grew up in Granite falls Washington. The eighties impacted my society and those I interact with today.

My parents were impacted with the “rock-n-roll” of the eighties and the life style that came with it.

What comes along with that lifestyle still impacts my family today. I did not have a choice to hear the “rock-n-roll” and the partying that came with it, but my brothers had struggle the hardest, living in poverty and trying to keep up with the social norm in Lake Stevens. As a family we should have experienced more stability with the resources given to our family, but was abused by my parent’s choices, leaving my brothers and I with no assets. What comes along with life style is what shaped me today, the drug abused which is a nation epidemic. Being inherited with the American lifestyle is toxic and has killed too many people I have known. The patterns are the same, the recurring events that happen with individuals who abuse

drugs.
My decision to not abuse drugs, has allowed me to live in my society as a functioning member and I am able to go to school to continue my education for my career. I can attend school for the amendments of the constitution to allow women to be part of society and have the same equality as men. I can support my family by working and help individuals with their health. My interpretation of western American society has gave me the ability to relate to many who have also not lived this social norm in America.
Even growing up with disfunction, the love I received my parents and brother is ever lasting. In the video, they relate this closeness to be the purpose of life. In society if we can understand each other and respect our backgrounds then essentially society can be more peaceful. The difference I see with their communities, is the social interpersonal interaction. As a function member of America, you pay your taxes to support your community and nation. We do not have that interpersonal connection with those we help, instead we have work for our money to help our nation. Vice versa, we receive help from those we do not know. Living in a capitalist society has created individualism in Americans. I feel as though we work to gain self-equity, and little goes to improve our community because we feel we do our part by paying our taxes and the lack of interpersonal communication. When I see a society like the lifestyle this culture lives, it aspires me for our own American nation. Our values are modern, keeping up with trends and riches dictating relationships, creates it own society, one that I believe can be soulless