Relfection 5

When one thinks of the word culture they probably think the meaning is used to describe where someone is from. Culture has a much deeper meaning that that. Culture is about tradition, beliefs, values, customs, and the way of life. To fully understand someone’s culture, one must acquire some knowledge of it and experience it to a certain extent. To begin with there is no culture greater than another. It is that kind of ignorance that led terrible heartless tragedies in the world like the holocaust and the segregation of blacks and whites. Hitler believed that the perfect race was that of fair skin, blonde hair and light eyes. Everything else was considered to be dirty and un-deserving of life. How many people died because of how this one man saw the world? Why was everyone afraid of this one man? Who said it was ok to treat those of color so low? When was it considered that to be white was to be superior? No one can answer these questions but we can make sure that history does not repeat itself. In the past those who were able to afford high quality fashion were considered to be superior to others. This caused passing judgment to those who could not afford the rich lifestyle and made those who could not afford it feel inadequate. To this day there is still judgment passed, you see it on a daily basis. When someone walks by you tend to pass even the slightest judgment. You see what brand of clothing they are wearing what kind of car they drive. The beauty of culture is that it is so rich with diversity and different customs and traditions. Some cultures view the act of burping to be good manners whereas here in America it is considered a sign of rudeness. It is for everyone’s own well being that we take a deeper look into diversity and learn from the different cultures that are out there. Knowing the true meaning of culture and learning about others traditions, customs and beliefs is a way to step away from the mind frame that there is a culture that is superior than others and that we are no one to judge anyone who may seem different to our standards. Times have been changing and continue to do so and we must change with it. How else are we supposed to move forward and better ourselves? I believe to become a well rounded person; one must experience different things and learn from others. Who knows maybe once you learn about a different culture it intrigues you so that you find yourself learning more about it!