Culture, to me, is who we are, what we are, and why we are.
Culture encompasses a wide range of qualities – language, beliefs, traditions. Andrei
Codrescu’s view of culture parallels my view of culture – he describes it as an
“atmosphere made of thoughts, ideas, people and operating procedures”. This
atmosphere defines and influences our actions and can not be replicated in
another setting.
I have lived in Japan,
India, and America and
each of these countries have distinctive cultures. Each of these cultures has
common things, like food, music, weddings; however, the way each of these are practiced differ. For example, in Japanese
weddings, the newlyweds are considered united after they drink nine sakes, in American
weddings, the newlyweds are united after an exchange of vows, in Indian
weddings the bride and groom circle around a ceremonial fire to become united.
Does this mean one is better than the other? No, it just illustrates the
diversity of practices that exist in this world. It is simply just a way of life.
