Regardless of where you live, it is inevitable that you will interact with a culture that's different from your own. This might range from moving to a different country, going on vacation, or perhaps just an encounter with a stranger in your local pizza place. Cultures are captivating and enriching. By understanding another culture, you can broaden your perspective and connect with others of different backgrounds. This is called cultural appreciation.
When the majority consider culture, their first thoughts involve race or ethnicity, when, essentially, culture goes far beyond that. In fact, we are all members of a variety of cultural groups, and our cultural identities develop under the influence of our associations. Cultural identity is key in the formation of our character, which is an ongoing process. As we are exposed to different sets of beliefs, we may adopt other cultural values that were not a part of our original makeup. In addition to race and ethnicity, our cultural orientations are influenced by religion, location, age, and more. We are a complex mixture of many cultural influences woven together.
Culture can be a system of shared beliefs that are utilized by society in order to interact with one another and, consequently, with the world. On the surface, we can perceive culture to only be about food, music, clothing, and holidays. However, these are just a handful of examples that can aid us in deciphering the rich depths of culture. Other elements include customs, values, behaviors, and history. Herefore, culture is a combination of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and beliefs shared by those of the same racial, ethnic, religious or other groupings. Throughout our lifetimes, we move between groups, adjusting our ideas and beliefs as we grow and learn.
Now that you understand what culture is, you might ponder over how you can appreciate it. You are able to participate in the cultural appreciation every day through activities such as:
Reading. Seek out books written by and about people from different cultural backgrounds. Memoirs, biographies, and other nonfiction books can shed light on the accurate representations of a person’s life that we would not be able to learn about through other means. Attempt to read novels that are translated from other languages, so you are able to read the original thoughts expressed directly by the author.
Watching movies. Like with books, watching documentaries and non-fiction series can broaden our understanding of cultures. We perceive a more varied and nuanced perspective on culture by seeing the types of stories told.
Traveling. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely travel. Immersing yourself in an exceedingly different culture is an incredible experience that helps comprehend the different ways of life of other people. You are able to visit historical sites and understand their connection and significance to present cultures.
Appreciating the differences. Differences between us are what make life so interesting. Embracing the differences between yourself and your friends from other cultures, you can learn from their experiences given their cultural background.
The best way to appreciate other cultures is to create a balance between curiosity and appreciation. Ask questions but also learn to observe and appreciate the differences that make us unique. The more you learn, the more accustomed you become to greeting cultural differences with interest instead of suspicion. It is important not to fall into the trap of stereotyping as this can make you believe that you are able to recognize a lot about a culture or place when in reality it is not true. Stereotyping is the generalization of your knowledge that is applied to the characteristics of a specific group, which can be offensive and make people uncomfortable. To prevent this, it is necessary to thoroughly educate yourself and ask well-formulated questions as well as adopt a growth mindset.
Overall, the simplest ways to grasp and appreciate cultures is by paying attention to individuals that are a component of that society and hearing their stories, understanding the implications behind the aspects of their culture that you just have an interest in, and using that understanding to broaden your worldview.