Firstly we should have a clarification over terms such as tradition, identity and cultural identity which leads us to the American cultural identity and its elements. Tradition is a very complicated time period to define. “It has more than a hundred definitions.” (1) To provide a easy definition and no to confused with the hundred of the definitions we are able to define culture as follows: culture refers back to the customs, practices, languages, values and world views that define social groups resembling those based on nationwideity, ethnicity, area or widespread interests.
Identity is another time period we must know about earlier than understanding cultural identity. “The condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is.”(2) The very best way to define the term identity is a solution to the question who am I? We can say that identity is about our self-notion and notion of others. There are different types of identity in keeping with different ways of categorizing of aspects. Personal identity, social identity and collective identity are probably the most recognizable ones. “The concept 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.” (three) The master forces of collective identity are nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, profession and decadent culture.
Cultural identity is the identity of a group, tradition or of an individual as far as one is influenced by one’s belonging to a group or culture. Then cultural identity is a collective identity.
The American cultural identity might be merely defined as the sets of values, norms and beliefs that make the American folks because the Americans. Collective identity will not be in conflict with personal identity as each American has its own identity while the entire People has a specific collective identity by which they are distinguished from the British people.
Talking about the parts of the American cultural identity is tough, because there are numerous components that shape it. To depend a few of the most vital components I am going for the next ones.
• Language
English language is one of the elements that for my part have shaped the American cultural identity. It provides the Americans a sense of having 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 majority of the Individuals speak has had an excellent influence on shaping their collective identity.
• Egalitarianism
The concept of egalitarianism or having equal opportunities makes the second ingredient of the American cultural identity. This sense that all of us reside in a land of opportunities, while others do not and we all are equal to have opportunities to live has integrated Americans as a whole.
• Exceptionalism and Nationalism
The idea of exceptionalism has instilled in Americans mind by way of the history and consequently it has made them think that they’re distinctive and particular individuals dwelling in a land of opportunities. They imagine in American Dream and they think that they have had this likelihood to live on this land not some other people. People imagine that they and only they are distinctive and this thought gives them a sense of nationalistic point 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 symbol that integrates all People to a whole.
• Liberalism
Liberalism is undoubtedly essentially the most influential aspect of American cultural identity. The concept of liberalism in America is as old because the United States where in accordance the US Constitution the persons 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 federal government has on the personal lives of the citizens as well. When individuals see that they are free to choose no matter they want under the liberalism umbrella, then they really feel they’re Individuals and they acknowledge themselves as Americans.
• Individualism
Individualism has had an incredible 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 offers the owner a way by which he/she feels American because they consider it a results of residing in America and believing in American beliefs. Individualism is just not only about economic terms like property ownership. By way of culture, cultural individualism is the concept the entire Individuals see themselves as an individual 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 very common question in American culture. It means that hard-working is a very important factor among Americans. Americans work very hard and they always think in regards to the outcomes undermining the instruments by which they can achieve the ends. In accordance with the American multicultural context, pragmatist concepts which refuses any absolutes grew to become quite common because “fairly than believing in absolutes it is believed that these concepts are changeable and depend upon the context in which they are being discussed.” (four)
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