Culture is learned and spread by the family. And, is shared by most of the group. It leads to how decisions are made and it aids in self-esteem. Culture, you just seem to know, and is difficult to define. You see your own culture as the best, you have a difficult time seeing other cultures. It affects the mind, body, and spirit. Culture aids in identity and a sense of belonging. This course has made me realize that even though we are different, we are also the same. We are more similar than we know. The first stage of human culture, the Paleolithic, or old stone age, goes back further than one million years B.C.E. People hunted and gathered. Also, in the Paleolithic period, people discovered fire, clothing, the basic technique for hunting and gathering food, and simple social organization toward the end of the period. The second stage of human culture, the Neolithic period, or the new stone age stretched between 8000 B.C.E and 3000 B.C.E when people began to settle down and raise crops, rather than gather food and hunt game. In this phase, agriculture witnessed a huge improvement in stone tools and the ability to make pottery and textiles. Social structures changed as well. As people learned how to live together in small villages. In the New Stone Age, people began domesticating some of the animals they had been accustomed to chasing and killing. At first, in the New Stone Age people used these animals only for meat, but around 4000 B.C.E, some communities in and around the Middle East devised new ways to use their flocks and herds. For example, milk is an important new food source. This change forged the final link from our earliest, unknown ancestors, who emerged from the darkness of prehistory into the light of history and civilization. I have learned that most people are the same, but, different. Like the Sumerians who lived in villages and organized themselves around several important religious centers, which grew rapidly into cities, and created the first “civilizations.”
Their ruler was Hammurabi, his capital was Babylon, and it became the hub of the “world.” And, unfortunately, we have Trump as our ruler today. Babylon was 70,000 square miles, and rested on an elaborate, centralized, administrative system, just like our Whitehouse, located in Washington, D.C. Fifty thousand years ago, humankind began to grasp notions of selfhood and individuality. They became aware of death. They realized they had a complex relationship with the world. Since that time our technological and socioeconomic sophistication has been immense, but we are no more human now than we were then. As I said, we are different, yet we are the same. That is what I learned by taking this course. I grew up in a very impoverished area. We were all Poor, and we knew it. It made for some strange, but strong friendships. Since I grew up with people from all cultures, I have always, for as long as I can remember, I have always accepted any culture. Yes, some of it was different from how my parents did it, I did question my friends to understand why or what they were doing. I learned with each encounter. I still treat people the way I would want to be treated. Some people believe that there is no value in learning about other cultures as part of student education. They feel that the student should be learning about their own culture. However, learning about other cultures is important. It can help to break down baaboutrriers, stop stereotyping people you don’t understand, and broaden their horizons. Communication is key to any relationship. If you can not understand a person, you will never break down barriers. An easy way to get to know them and understand them is to learn their language, and in turn, they learn your language.
Several programs can help you learn a new language, our example, Rosetta Stone, is a good one. Breaking down barriers is very important. Next, get to know your neighbor so that maybe you will stop stereotyping him. If you get to know him, you would find that he is a lot like you. He puts his socks and trousers on one foot at a time, just like you. He eats three times a day, so do you, he has a job that he has to be at, at 8:00 a.m. So, do you. Ask him and his family over for dinner so that they can experience your culture through food. Or, ask him to lunch, let him pick the restaurant, and about and let him know you are trying to experience his culture through food. Celebrate diversity. Learn to overcome stereotypes. Last, broaden your horizons, and study abroad for a year. You will learn diversity. You will be amazed by all the different cultures that you will be exposed to. You will probably become independent and have a greater understanding of different cultures. Travel is a wonderful way to broaden our horizons. Not learning about other cultures would really be a tragedy. Culture is an enormous part of ourcourse we never our course. It affects our values, worries, and fears. You would never learn a new language. People are fearful of what they don’t knives coursewenever got to know other cultures, would put fear and hate in your heart, for people who are different. You will never understand diversity or eat different food. We already have enough hate in the world. Look at all the hate crimes we have, school shootings, rapes, and, stalking, to name a few. Don’t be that person. The one who hates everything and everybody, simply because you are fearful of what you do not know. Instead, get out there and meet someone new. Learn a language, a new dance, or how to make a new dish, and don’t forget to have fun while you learn something new.
