American Cultural Identity: The Elements
First and foremost we should have a clarification more than terms such as culture, identity and cultural identity which leads us to the American cultural identity and its elements. Culture is a quite complicated term to define. "It has even more than a hundred definitions." (1) To give a simple definition and no to confused with the hundred of the definitions we can define culture as follows: culture refers to the customs, practices, languages, values and globe views that define social groups such as those based on nationality, ethnicity, region or widespread interests.
Identity is another term we have to know about ahead of understanding cultural identity. "The condition or character as to who a person or what a factor is."(2) The most effective way to define the term identity is an answer to the question who am I? We can say that identity is about our self-perception and perception of other people. There are numerous varieties of identity according to unique ways of categorizing of elements. Individual identity, social identity and collective identity are the most recognizable ones. "The concept 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 element of his or her individual 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, culture or of an individual as far as 1 is influenced by one's belonging to a group or culture. Then cultural identity is a collective identity.
The American cultural identity can be basically defined as the sets of values, norms and beliefs that make the American individuals as the Americans. Collective identity is not in conflict with personal identity as every American has its own identity while the entire Americans has a specific collective identity by which they are distinguished from the British people.
Talking about the components of the American cultural identity is troublesome, for the reason that there are a great number of components that shape it. To count some of the most critical components I go for the following ones.
• Language
English language is one of the elements that in my view have shaped the American cultural identity. It gives the Americans a sense of getting a British origin and a feeling that the language their ancestors spoke was English like them and I feel it tends to make them assume of their Anglo-Saxon background. English language as the majority of the Americans speak has had a superb influence on shaping their collective identity.
• Egalitarianism
The thought of egalitarianism or getting equal opportunities tends to make the second element of the American cultural identity. This sense that we all are living in a land of opportunities, whilst other people do not and we all are equal to have opportunities to reside has integrated Americans as a entire.
• Exceptionalism and Nationalism
The idea of exceptionalism has instilled in Americans mind by way of the history and as a outcome it has made them think that they are exceptional and unique people today living in a land of possibilities. They believe in American Dream and they feel that they have had this likelihood to live on this land not any other consumers. Americans think that they and only they are exceptional and this notion gives them a sense of nationalistic point of view. Getting patriot is a especially common symbol of becoming an American and it has significantly to do with exceptionalism and nationalism. As an instance, US flag is considered a national symbol and a symbol that integrates all Americans to a whole.
• Liberalism
Liberalism is undoubtedly the most influential element of American cultural identity. The notion of liberalism in America is as old as the United States exactly where according the US Constitution the people today are cost-free to work, worship, live, travel and so on so forth as long as they respect each others' rights. Liberalism limits the influence the government has on the personal lives of the citizens as nicely. When men and women see that they are totally free to choose whatever they want below the liberalism umbrella, then they really feel they are Americans and they recognize themselves as Americans.
• Individualism
Individualism has had a wonderful impact on being an American. It has a Puritan background. Individualism has helped the creation of property ownership and what is referred to as privacy. Ownership in America is of superb significance and it provides the owner a sense by which he/she feels American mainly because they contemplate it a outcome of living in America and believing in American beliefs. Individualism is not only about economic terms like property ownership. In terms of culture, cultural individualism is the concept that the entire Americans see themselves as an individual from which the concept of Americanism comes from.
• Pragmatism
Pragmatism, like individualism, has a Puritan origin. Americans work particularly difficult to attain their objectives. The question "What do you do?" is a very standard question in American culture. It means that hard-working is a particularly crucial aspect amongst Americans. Americans function incredibly hard and they often feel about the outcomes undermining the tools by which they can achieve the ends. In accordance with the American multicultural context, pragmatist suggestions which refuses any absolutes became quite popular mainly because "rather than believing in absolutes it is believed that these ideas are changeable and rely on the context in which they are getting discussed." (four)
To conclude this write-up we can say that there are numerous elements by means of which the American consumers recognize themselves. A person is referred to as American when he/she believes in American beliefs, norms and values no matter whether he/she lives in America or not. That is, the term "Americanism" makes sense.
