Week 9 - Creatures of our Culture

I agree with Ruth Benedict that we are all "creatures of our culture" but only to a certain extent. In the sense where we look at infants and how their lives are started to be shaped is definitely out of their control. Nobody when they are born can pick and choose his/her family. Therefore, that means the cultural beliefs that are being presented to the infant is how the infant will start out and for a number of years feel that what he/she believe in is what is right and what he/she are told is wrong will also believe that too. Culture is created by humans and we naturally will sometimes push our culture onto others whether that be religion, politics, school, ethics, health and even sex. Where I feel that I had to disagree with Benedict is when I noticed she does not go into detail about what she said. She does not even mention once that individuals through the years tend to sometimes create their own culture with other people and it might not always be something that this individual grew up with. Individuals at times grow up and realize that his/her family beliefs or ways of living is something he/she is not into and does not want to be a part of.

An Example -

I grew up in a very traditional and strict Filipino family. One of the biggest things Filipinos are passionate about is religion. My parents not only pushed religion onto me but put it in my head that Catholics are the right religion and everyone else is wrong and we have it right. For years and years I grew up thinking that the Roman Catholics was the real and true religion and all other forms of religion and even Christianity were wrong. It was not until recently when the whole debate about Prop 8 came around and the Catholic church not only supported it, but some people of the church would get very violent or be verbally abusive over it. I was shocked that the same church that claimed that God loves all and we are all equal and we should love thy neighbor no matter what is bashing on homosexual people. Then I realized that made no sense and I sort of took a step back and questioned what I thought was my religion. Currently, I still am a Catholic but I do not know if the Roman Catholics got it right, their beliefs and ways of putting on to other people puts me in absolute shock.

I am sure there are people out there who have a story just like this even if it is not as extreme or something apart from religion. I feel that at one point, we do not have to be creature of a culture that we were born into.

With that said, I feel that in order for us to break through the limits of our cultures, we need to have an open mind and be not afraid to question initial beliefs. I personally voted no on Prop 8 even though my religious views said otherwise. I felt that looking at something as a whole and getting the facts right, although is not always easy due to bias and in some cases stubbornness, will help people step out of their cultural circle and possibly find something new. Just remember, it all starts with an open mind.