First and foremost we should have a clarification over terms similar to culture, identity and cultural identity which leads us to the American cultural identity and its elements. Tradition is a very difficult term 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 will define culture as follows: tradition refers back to the customs, practices, languages, values and world views that define social teams corresponding to these based mostly on nationwideity, ethnicity, region or frequent interests.
Identity is another time period we must know about earlier than understanding cultural identity. “The condition or character as to who an individual or what a thing is.”(2) The perfect way to define the term identity is an answer to the query who am I? We can say that identity is about our self-perception and notion of others. There are totally different types of identity based on 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 individuals’ 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, tradition 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 could be simply defined as the sets of values, norms and beliefs that make the American people as the Americans. Collective identity is not in conflict with personal identity as each American has its own identity while the whole Individuals has a particular collective identity by which they’re distinguished from the British people.
Talking about the elements of the American cultural identity is difficult, because there are lots of parts that shape it. To rely some of the most important components I’m going for the next ones.
• Language
English language is one of the parts that in my opinion have formed the American cultural identity. It gives 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 most importantity 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 element of the American cultural identity. This sense that we all are living in a land of opportunities, while others don’t and we all are equal to have opportunities to live has integrated Americans as a whole.
• Exceptionalism and Nationalism
The concept 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 folks residing in a land of opportunities. They consider in American Dream and so they think that they’ve had this chance to live on this land not another people. Americans believe that they and only they’re exceptional and this concept provides 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 symbol and an emblem that integrates all People to a whole.
• Liberalism
Liberalism is undoubtedly essentially the most influential factor of American cultural identity. The idea 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, journey and so forth so forth so long as they respect every others’ rights. Liberalism limits the influence the government has on the personal lives of the citizens as well. When individuals see that they are free to decide on whatever they want under the liberalism umbrella, then they feel they’re Individuals they usually acknowledge themselves as Americans.
• Individualism
Individualism has had a fantastic impact on being an American. It has a Puritan background. Individualism has helped the creation of property ownership and what’s called privacy. Ownership in America is of great significance and it gives the owner a sense by which he/she feels American because they consider it a results of dwelling in America and believing in American beliefs. Individualism is not only about financial terms like property ownership. When it comes to tradition, cultural individualism is the idea that the whole Americans see themselves as a person from which the concept 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 signifies that hard-working is a vital factor amongst Americans. Individuals work very hard and they always think about the outcomes undermining the instruments by which they will achieve the ends. In accordance with the American multicultural context, pragmatist ideas which refuses any absolutes turned quite common because “moderately than believing in absolutes it is believed that these ideas are changeable and depend upon the context in which they are being discussed.” (four)
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