At the beginning we should have a clarification over phrases resembling 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 present a easy definition and no to confused with the hundred of the definitions we will define culture as follows: culture refers to the customs, practices, languages, values and world views that define social teams corresponding 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 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 different types of identity in response to completely different ways of categorizing of aspects. Personal identity, social identity and collective identity are probably 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 individual, the identity derived from the collective shapes a part of his or her personal identity.” (three) The master forces of collective identity are nationwideity, ethnicity, religion, gender, profession and decadent culture.
Cultural identity is the identity of a bunch, tradition or of an individual as 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 individuals because the Americans. Collective identity is not in conflict with personal identity as every American has its own identity while the entire Individuals has a specific collective identity by which they’re distinguished from the British people.
Talking about the components of the American cultural identity is difficult, because there are many elements that shape it. To depend some of the most essential parts I go for the next ones.
• Language
English language is among the parts that in my opinion have shaped the American cultural identity. It gives the People a sense of having a British origin and a feeling 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 People speak has had an awesome 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 we all 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 Individuals mind by the history and consequently it has made them think that they are unique and particular individuals residing in a land of opportunities. They imagine in American Dream they usually think that they have had this likelihood to live on this land not some other people. Individuals consider that they and only they’re exceptional and this thought gives them a sense of nationalistic level of view. Being patriot is a quite common symbol of being an American and it has a lot to do with exceptionalism and nationalism. For instance, US flag is considered a national symbol and a symbol that integrates all Individuals to a whole.
• Liberalism
Liberalism is undoubtedly the most influential component 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 people are free to work, worship, live, travel and so forth so forth as long as they respect each 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 need under the liberalism umbrella, then they feel they’re Americans and they recognize themselves as Americans.
• Individualism
Individualism has had an awesome 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 just not only about financial terms like property ownership. In terms of tradition, cultural individualism is the concept that the entire Individuals see themselves as a person from which the idea 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 query in American culture. It implies that hard-working is a very important factor among Americans. People work very hard and they always think in regards to the outcomes undermining the tools by which they’ll achieve the ends. In accordance with the American multicultural context, pragmatist ideas which refuses any absolutes became very common because “somewhat than believing in absolutes it is believed that these ideas are changeable and rely on the context in which they’re being discussed.” (4)
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