I believe that cultures are not only defined by beliefs/practices/traditions but also by the resources available to them. Our culture in America is heavily based on technology and digital communication, while some third world countries practice traditions from many centuries ago. Our views of another person’s/country’s culture originate from our interactions, or experiences with that country/person. Many countries view the U.S. as the land of opportunity and the country with the best quality of living, while other countries view the U.S. as a stern and manipulative country that forces its policies/practices on other nations. Going off of the September 11 comment in the Lucena article, the point is that in times of confusion or anger, we tend to form these dominant negative stereotypes of certain cultures. We really cannot judge an entire culture based off of the actions of a smaller part of that culture. Like the Hess article referenced, one must be submerged into a culture (and not see it or hear about it) to truly understand it and appreciate it.
I strongly agree that cultures are also influenced by the technology and resources it possesses. This is mainly because technology can change a person’s behavior and his or her interactions with other people in either the same culture, or a different culture. For example, conveniences we take for granted such as washing machines and microwaves allow us to complete more tasks in a shorter amount of time, leading us to try to complete more chores in one day. This creates a culture of over-worked and stressed individuals. Other technologies, such as the smartphone or social networking sites, like Facebook, allow people to communicate with other people in less formal ways than their ancestors did just a century ago. Today people can send texts or tweets to constantly inform others on what they are doing. These technologies allow people to avoid actually talking to other people, creating a culture where people don’t emphasize the importance of verbal communication. (ENGR 103)
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