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Impact of culture on personality development
Culture contributes to personal development of an individual
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Becoming an American Ever since I came to the United States, I have been influenced by the culture in many ways. I come from an island where there is no freedom of speech and where people do not follow their dream because they have few possibilities to achieve them. Also, people speak a whole different language. Arriving in the United States was scary; this country was different than anything I had ever seen before. I had to make new friends, I had to become used to speaking English, and It was hard to get used to the different atmosphere overall. Making new friends was hard at first, there were so many different people from different cultures and countries that I had no idea who to even talk to, but I was blessed to find my first friend in …show more content…
My ninth grade English class was what truly motivated and encouraged me to write, speak and talk in English. I had the best teacher I could ever ask for, he not only did his job as an English teacher, but he was sure everybody was giving their best at class, that every student was learning new vocabulary and that we knew how to use grammar properly; what made me appreciate him the most was that he taught us about culture, how the world works, how to be organized, the importance of an education and the benefits of living in a free country, every time I walked out of his class I never thought of it as an English class but a life lesson. There was something else that helped me a lot with the English, watching television with subtitles, I spent the whole ninth grade watching movies like Gladiator, The Last Samurai or Braveheart because we did not have cable and had an old TV with DVD player included and a friend of ours had lent us a pile of classic film DVDs. I read more than I ever imagined per day and that did not only help me with the language but also helped me learn to appreciate more the motion picture industry. By then end of ninth grade, I was already becoming an American, I knew the Star Spangled Banner anthem, I had friends with whom I only spoke English with, I celebrated Thanksgiving and loved the fireworks
Cave, Damien. "What Does It Mean to Be American?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 2014. Web. 04 Sept. 2016.
“You are in America, speak English.” As a young child hearing these words, it did not only confuse me but it also made me question my belonging in a foreign country. As a child I struggled with my self-image; Not being Hispanic enough because of my physical appearance and not being welcomed enough in the community I have tried so hard to integrate myself with. Being an immigrant with immigrant parents forces you to view life differently. It drives you to work harder or to change the status quo for the preconceived notion someone else created on a mass of people. Coming to America filled me with anxiety, excitement, and even an unexpected wave of fear.
Following the 1890’s, the world began to undergo the first stages of globalization. Countries and peoples, who, until now, were barely connected, now found themselves neighbors in a planet vastly resembling a global village. Despite the idealized image of camaraderie and brotherhood this may seem to suggest, the reality was only discrimination and distrust. Immigration to new lands became a far more difficult affair, as emigrants from different nations came to be viewed as increasingly foreign. In the white-dominated society of the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the only way to truly count oneself as American was to become “white”. For this reason, the idea of race, a socially constructed issue with no real physical basis, has become one of the most defining factors which shape immigration and assimilation in the United States.
What does it mean to be an American? To me, what it means to be American is to Pledge Allegiance to your country, to proudly boast that you live in a country that has a justification for existence, to be given opportunity. Although there are many definitions of what it means to be an American, does being an American really just mean being successful in society? The point of this essay is to describe the different meanings and my feelings of what it is to be “American”.
Culture is expressed through a variety of different ways, from clothing styles to lifestyles to faithful traditions. It can also have a deep impact on the viewpoints of those around you, whether negatively or positively. No matter how a person goes about their everyday life, they can rise above the expectations of their culture to change the world around them. Culture does not have to be the basis of every thought, word, or deed of a person.
The United States as a country has always been an entity unique amongst the world’s myriad of nations: a conglomeration of cultures, ethnic groups and religious backgrounds from around the planet, all fused together to yield something entirely new. Since its very inception, those who dwell within its borders have attempted to ascertain the makeup of the American identity, in order to pin down how exactly one can come to be considered as an American themselves. This is inherently quite a subjective issue, but the conversation primarily boils down to three core factors that make the American people who they are: a dedication to preserving the natural rights of every human being, a belief in the importance of the individual in deciding their own
As I boarded the plane to move to the United States, the beginning of September 2005, I couldn’t help but think about all that I left behind; My family, my friends, my school, my clothes, and all of the awesome cultural food. Then again, I looked forward to this new life, a new beginning. I imagined it being like life in the movies, where everything seemed easy and life was just beautiful. After all, I was going to the States; the place where most people only dreamt of. I felt very blessed to have this opportunity because I knew that it wasn’t given to everyone. Coming to America marked my coming of age because I left behind my old life, I started life afresh, and I became a much grateful person.
The ideal of American citizenship was not only if you were legal in America, but the ideal that you have the values and rights of a citizen. Unregulated capitalism and the ultimate change in government regulations in big business led to a change in the ideal of citizenship. With the start of big business in America the theory of unregulated capitalism was tested for the first time. In this paper I will discuss the ideal of what a citizen was before the great depression with unregulated capitalism, and the changing from no regulations to some, and the after effect this had.
Many people have asked the question, and many others have been asked, ‘What is the greatest country in the world?’ Or, if you live in America, ‘Why is America the greatest country in the world?’ Many people answer this by saying things such as freedom, our education, diversity, etc., while others may say the people who live here, namely, Americans. Yet few are able to sufficiently answer the next question, ‘What makes a person an American?’ Many will say that living here makes you an American. Yet they seem to forget about the thousands, if not millions, of illegal immigrants that are living in our country. Are they Americans just because they are living in our country? Our federal government does not agree, which is why we have several laws concerning the deportation of illegal immigrants. Others, who see past the simple idea of living here as a means of being an American, may say that your characteristics help to define you as an American. Yet the most agreeable answer would be a combination of the two. An American would be someone who lives in America legally, and also holds within themselves various characteristics, which among these include an over-abundance of confidence,
In the beginning of September 2005, disappointment and excitement revealed on my face when I boarded the plane to move to the United States of America. The feeling of leaving my families, friends, school, clothes, and culture in Cameroon presented a hardship for me on this journey. Of course, I anticipated this new life because it indicated a fresh start. I envisioned it resembling life in movies, where everything appeared to be simple and life was simply excellent. All things considered, I was heading off to the United States, known for the American dream. To me it meant that everyone is given equal opportunity to prosper, achieve a family, and attain a successful job as long as they are hardworking and determined. I felt exceptionally honored and blessed to have this open door since I realized that it was not provided to everybody. Coming to America denoted my transitioning on the grounds that I deserted my previous lifestyle in Cameroon, began a new chapter in my life once again, and finally became a much grateful individual.
Among every other country in the world, the United States of America is where people feel the most comfortable place to come and live a better life. Immigrants are people who leave their counties to reside in other counties that are rich and safe to better themselves. Every year people immigrate to the USA for many reasons. Many people are having difficulty living in their native country such as over population, jobless which make the economy so hard. People from outside of the United States think there is peace, love, equality, free education, jobs, good food to stay healthy, but most importantly freedom of speech to express yourself in America. Today, I will only focus on some reasons why people in my country immigrates to America. This is
It’s no secret that everyone in the world is born into a system of rules, norms, and everything in between. There is a constant cycle of life and death, with the expectations of the bodies we are born in building and acting around others and the expectations to help promote a society farther. The problem that we as humans are constantly coming to, though, is who exactly is in power and what makes up that power. Is there a duty that one owes to their nation in the way that they act or is it their own life to lead? Are humans living for themselves or for the promotion of something more? There has been a progression of time, changing to adapt the needs of the majority being executed whether or not it is beneficial to the minority. What it means
Immigration has always been a large conflict people have faced all across the world. There are plenty of reasons why people migrate to a country, whether it may be the United States or any other particular one. Many people often come in an attempt to escape poverty, crime, or to simply have a better opportunity to better their lifestyle. Although there are people who migrate and commit severe crimes, there are others who sacrifice themselves in order to live a better life. In addition to that, I believe the government should approve new immigration laws in favor of immigrants who come to better their life and achieve their dreams.
Different cultures, or environments make up how people live their lives and how they may act on a daily basis. These cultures are common all throughout the world, even throughout the different places within the United States. Going on my school trip to New York City made me aware of these cultures changes and when are plane landed back in Minnesota I was so thankful to be back to the places and faces I had always been used to.
Anand Giridharadas’ book, The True American, combines both sociology and history into a story that describes the constant struggles people have to endure daily. By bringing together the lives of many different people, Giridharadas describes what living in the United States is really like for the different cultures. He indirectly uses the story as an example of the false assumptions regarding certain groups of people and shows how things aren’t always as they seem. The True American argues that instead of living in a unified society, a great divide between immigrants and the American poor exists, which is caused by contradicting beliefs regarding the importance of family, as well as the prospect of education.