Cultural Norms example essay topic

Culture is the behaviors, concepts, and traditions that belong to diverse groups of people and are transmitted from parents to their children. There are countries where the majority of population is the same nationality, as Japan. Of course, in these countries the culture will be almost similar and understandable by all population. In the other hand, there are a lot of countries as the USA where are living an enormous amount of people that have their own cultures, languages, and norms. Norms are rules as standard of behavior that is expected from each member of the society. Each action of individual member of cultural group must be in accordance with these norms.

That helps people live peaceful together. Of course, it is easier to live in the society where people know what to expect from you, and you also know what to expect from other people. Each our action, including dressing, eating, sexual behavior, etc. must be acceptable in our cultural group. These norms differ from one large cultural group to another. If in the USA it is normal to live with a boyfriend or girlfriend together, in Moldova, my native country, it is amoral to share living space and bed with a person of an opposite gender without getting married.

Each cultural group maintains their own norms for personal space, the safety zone around individual person. People from North countries as Scandinavians, British, and Germans used to use more personal space compared to people from South countries such as: Mexicans, Italians, and Moldavians, who like to be close together. Of course, for me as a Moldavian people In the USA seem to be cold, and emotionless compare with Moldavians. However, the culture changes over the time, especially in countries with a lot of immigrants. They change the world around them with their ideas, traditions, and respectively are changed under the influence of cultural norms of local cultural groups. These changes are called- memes.

Culture also influences child-rearing practices. In Western families the most important is each individual with his (her) goals over group goals. This is called individualism. In Asians, Africans, former Soviet Union countries people prefer group goals to one's own goals. We named this collectivism. Respective babies from their birth are reared as individualist or collectivist depending of country where he (she) lives.

In Moldova (former Soviet Union) were created all conditions for rearing children as a part of a team even before their birth. My mother had a state paid vacation from 6-month pregnancy as bearing a child for our state that will be ready to do everything for prosperity of our country. When I reached 18 months old, I started to attend preschool where I learned how to help other and how to live in team. At the age of seven, I started my school education.

We usually attend the same school during 10-11 years with the same classmates, and teachers. These bind us together for all of our life. We know almost everything about each other, including our problems. So, I helped others, and was helped by others.

As an excellent student, I was able to help other classmates with their homework. Also I helped my teachers to decorate, and repair the classrooms. I made friends for the rest of my life during the school years. Now I miss my school years, classmates, and teachers. I know that what I am now is because of them and my parents. The stories I read about in our school were the examples of courageous people who saved other people or collective property rescued their own lives.

At that time I was sure that all these people acted correct and probably I could act the same because of my collectivistic education. Only now, because of memes that change my point of view after living in the USA, where people are more individualistic, I can say that some of these "heroic" acts were unnecessary and even crazy when people rescue their life and even die saving some unimportant collective property such as: car, tractor, etc. Here I understand that life of each human is precious and incomparable with anything of nonliving things. Each of us has rights to live the only life happily.

As a result, I am collectivist when it refers to people. I help my parents and brothers who remain in Moldova financially. I help elderly people at the Retirement Community not only because it is my job, but also because I like to help them. I try to help everyone who needs me. However, I can say "no" when I feel that this is dangerous for my life or lives of others people.

So, each of cultural norms have positive sides and negative sides. We are higher-level organized creatures who must select what to do and what to refuse. Its an essay about cultural behaviors.