In the beginning we must have a clarification over phrases corresponding to culture, identity and cultural identity which leads us to the American cultural identity and its elements. Culture is a really difficult time period to define. “It has more than a hundred definitions.” (1) To provide a simple definition and no to confused with the hundred of the definitions we are able to define culture as follows: tradition refers to the customs, practices, languages, values and world views that define social teams equivalent to these based on nationwideity, ethnicity, area or frequent interests.
Identity is one other time period we should know about before understanding cultural identity. “The condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is.”(2) The best way to define the time period identity is a solution to the question who am I? We can say that identity is about our self-perception and perception of others. There are different types of identity according to completely different ways of categorizing of aspects. Personal identity, social identity and collective identity are essentially the most recognizable ones. “The idea of a collective identity refers to a set of people’ sense of belonging to the group or collective. For the person, the identity derived from the collective shapes a part of his or her personal identity.” (3) The master forces of collective identity are nationality, ethnicity, faith, gender, profession and decadent culture.
Cultural identity is the identity of a bunch, culture or of a person so far as one is influenced by one’s belonging to a gaggle or culture. Then cultural identity is a collective identity.
The American cultural identity may be simply defined as the sets of values, norms and beliefs that make the American individuals because the Americans. Collective identity shouldn’t be in battle with personal identity as every American has its own identity while the entire Americans has a particular collective identity by which they are distinguished from the British people.
Talking in regards to the elements of the American cultural identity is tough, because there are a lot of parts that form it. To count some of the most necessary components I am going for the next ones.
• Language
English language is likely one of the components that in my view have shaped the American cultural identity. It gives the People a sense of getting a British origin and a sense that the language their ancestors spoke was English like them and I think it makes them think of their Anglo-Saxon background. English language as the mainity of the Americans speak has had an amazing affect on shaping their collective identity.
• Egalitarianism
The idea of egalitarianism or having equal opportunities makes the second aspect of the American cultural identity. This sense that all of us live in a land of opportunities, while others do not and all of us are equal to have opportunities to live has integrated People as a whole.
• Exceptionalism and Nationalism
The thought of exceptionalism has instilled in Americans mind through the history and because of this it has made them think that they are distinctive and special individuals residing in a land of opportunities. They imagine in American Dream and they think that they have had this probability to live on this land not another people. Americans consider that they and only they’re exceptional and this concept gives them a sense of nationalistic level of view. Being patriot is a quite common symbol of being an American and it has much to do with exceptionalism and nationalism. For instance, US flag is considered a nationwide image and a logo that integrates all Individuals to a whole.
• Liberalism
Liberalism is undoubtedly probably the most influential ingredient of American cultural identity. The thought of liberalism in America is as old as the United States the place in accordance the US Constitution the individuals are free to work, worship, live, travel and so on so forth as long as they respect every others’ rights. Liberalism limits the influence the government has on the personal lives of the citizens as well. When people see that they are free to decide on no matter they need under the liberalism umbrella, then they feel they are People they usually recognize themselves as Americans.
• Individualism
Individualism has had an ideal impact on being an American. It has a Puritan background. Individualism has helped the creation of property ownership and what is called privacy. Ownership in America is of nice significance and it gives the owner a way by which he/she feels American because they consider it a result of dwelling in America and believing in American beliefs. Individualism is not only about financial phrases like property ownership. In terms of tradition, cultural individualism is the concept the entire Individuals see themselves as a person from which the thought of Americanism comes from.
• Pragmatism
Pragmatism, like individualism, has a Puritan origin. Americans work very hard to achieve their goals. The query “What do you do?” is a quite common question in American culture. It signifies that hard-working is a very important factor amongst Americans. People work very hard and so they always think concerning the results undermining the instruments by which they’ll achieve the ends. In accordance with the American multicultural context, pragmatist ideas which refuses any absolutes turned quite common because “fairly than believing in absolutes it is believed that these concepts are changeable and depend on the context in which they are being discussed.” (4)
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