What are your variant characteristics of culture?
I have several variant characteristics of culture, and there are very few that I would like to change. Generally, I am comfortable with all most of them. One of the variant characteristics of culture that I have is nationality. I am happy to identify with my nationality and would not wish to change it in any way. Another variant characteristic of culture that most people have is their race. Race is mostly judged from one’s appearance. Changing a person’s appearance can make him/her alter the race that one is identified with. This is easier for biracial persons and it would require intensive cosmetic surgery to alter the appearance of most people (Chișu, 2016). Age is also one of the variant characteristics of cultures that I have. It is not possible to change my age, as I am not in control of time. However, it is possible to deceive other people by appearing younger. This is achieved by having a better diet and lifestyle. Furthermore, religious affiliation is a variant characteristic of culture that I have. Religion is so strong that it influences the other aspects of a person’s life greatly. It is possible to change one’s religion, although this is mostly met with a lot of stigma from the immediate family and community.
How has each one influenced you and your world view?
The nationality that I have is American. This has an effect in the way I view the world. However, it is best for me to observe my attitudes from an external point of view, in order to prevent them from being affected by personal biases. American nationality is not hinged on ethnicity, but rather a set of values that focus on an individual and personal responsibility. I tend to feel personally responsible for all my achievements and failures. This tendency makes it harder for me to deal with failure, as it seems a reflection of my personhood. The stress and depression accompanied by failure is a testament to that (Chișu, 2016). The issue if race is a very delicate one, especially in this country. This has made me try to disregard race as treat all the people in the same manner. However, I often fall into the stereotypes of different ethnic groups, no matter how much I try to avoid it. The key for me has been to suppress the expression of these feelings, and I am getting better at it every passing day (Smith, 2013). My hope to rise above all forms of discrimination and biases in the future. I realize how influential religion can be on one’s life. For the sake of my social and professional life, I have tried to limit my expression of religious views to my close friends and family.
How has your world view changed as your variants characteristics have changed?
The progress in age is the one that has contributed to changes in my world views the most. Most of the beliefs that I held when young have either evolved or been replaced. I have learned that people are unpredictable on face value, but on closer inspection, patterns in behavior become apparent. Attainment of education and professional skills has made it possible for me to be more understanding of persons from different backgrounds (Smith, 2013). My socioeconomic status has also changed over the years, mostly due to advancement in age and education. over time, my economic status has moved up due to my profession and has as a result changed my world view.
References
Chișu, L. (2016). A transcultural experiment. Diacronia, (4). http://dx.doi.org/10.17684/i4a62en
Smith, L. (2013). Reaching for cultural competence. Nursing, 43(6), 30-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.nurse.0000429794.17073.87