What is culture? There are many definitions about it.
My professor, Seo Yong-Won, defined culture as a way of living. People have different ways of living, which have effect on a lot of areas: food, conversation, clothes, leisure and so on. People know the visible differences, but they easily ignore invisible differences, such as a way of thinking. Culture makes people think in different ways.
Many scholars have interests in the powerful influences of culture, so they researched cultural differences across countries. First, they divided culture into two parts: Western culture and Eastern culture. They thought that Western countries have individualism and Eastern countries have collectivism. Individualism culture regards a person more important than a group, so people who are included in individualism culture are subjective, rational and independent. On the other hands, collectivism culture characterizes that a group is more important than an individual. So people in collectivism culture care about others and other’s estimation. For example, because Asian culture is defined as collective, the researchers regard Asians more emotional, passive and formal. They assume that Asians try to stick social rules and not to get out of social frames. Their thoughts are not all right. As they are Western scholars, their perspectives might be little biased. However, it is true that cultural differences exist.
Cultural differences effect across countries, regions and even personal levels. Different cultures arouse many problems among people’s relationships.
For example, my ex-boy friend and I had many conflicts because of our different family culture. One day, I went to his house to help him. At lunch, they ate lunch separately even though they were together in a room. None of them asked me to have lunch together. I was embarrassed by their behaviors and I thought that the family was rude and very selfish. I could not understand them, so I was disappointed by him.
After many years, I came to know the reason why they behaved like that. It related to his parents’ jobs, a restaurant business. Because someone has to watch the restaurant, my ex-boy friend or his brother took meals earlier than their parents and they kept the store for their parent to have meals comfortably. His family could not have meals together throughout their whole life. In Their family culture, eating separately was a good manner to care for the other family. But my family culture was different from theirs. My father wants the family to have dinners together as many times as possible. As my family almost have meals together, I thought there are right and normal. I did not consider about other family’s different culture. Maybe my-ex boyfriend also could not understand me. He might be curious why I asked to have meals together or that I kept asking him to take care of my meals.
Culture is a natural and subjective thing for people. It is hard to consider other’s different cultures, and so it sometimes gives conflicts in relationships.
My professor, Seo Yong-Won, defined culture as a way of living. People have different ways of living, which have effect on a lot of areas: food, conversation, clothes, leisure and so on. People know the visible differences, but they easily ignore invisible differences, such as a way of thinking. Culture makes people think in different ways.
Many scholars have interests in the powerful influences of culture, so they researched cultural differences across countries. First, they divided culture into two parts: Western culture and Eastern culture. They thought that Western countries have individualism and Eastern countries have collectivism. Individualism culture regards a person more important than a group, so people who are included in individualism culture are subjective, rational and independent. On the other hands, collectivism culture characterizes that a group is more important than an individual. So people in collectivism culture care about others and other’s estimation. For example, because Asian culture is defined as collective, the researchers regard Asians more emotional, passive and formal. They assume that Asians try to stick social rules and not to get out of social frames. Their thoughts are not all right. As they are Western scholars, their perspectives might be little biased. However, it is true that cultural differences exist.
Cultural differences effect across countries, regions and even personal levels. Different cultures arouse many problems among people’s relationships.
For example, my ex-boy friend and I had many conflicts because of our different family culture. One day, I went to his house to help him. At lunch, they ate lunch separately even though they were together in a room. None of them asked me to have lunch together. I was embarrassed by their behaviors and I thought that the family was rude and very selfish. I could not understand them, so I was disappointed by him.
After many years, I came to know the reason why they behaved like that. It related to his parents’ jobs, a restaurant business. Because someone has to watch the restaurant, my ex-boy friend or his brother took meals earlier than their parents and they kept the store for their parent to have meals comfortably. His family could not have meals together throughout their whole life. In Their family culture, eating separately was a good manner to care for the other family. But my family culture was different from theirs. My father wants the family to have dinners together as many times as possible. As my family almost have meals together, I thought there are right and normal. I did not consider about other family’s different culture. Maybe my-ex boyfriend also could not understand me. He might be curious why I asked to have meals together or that I kept asking him to take care of my meals.
Culture is a natural and subjective thing for people. It is hard to consider other’s different cultures, and so it sometimes gives conflicts in relationships.
Culture Comparison & Difference
Reviewed by Lala
on
18:07
Rating:
Reviewed by Lala
on
18:07
Rating:
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