Constructing A Cultural Identity

I am a cradle Catholic. Ever since I can remember, my family has religiously gone to Sunday mass (pun intended) and to all of the holy days as prescribed by the church. All of the sacraments we received - First Communion, Reconciliation, Confirmation - took place in our home parish, Holy Family Catholic Church. The church has aged with us, grown with us. From being a modest parish in the ‘90s to the most successful Catholic parish in the Central Florida area, Holy Family has grown in its following and size while I was growing in my faith. Supplemented by countless youth group meetings, retreats, spiritual advisement, frequent reception of communion and Confession, and the example of my parents being active members of our parish, my love for the Catholic faith has grown exponentially over the years.

But Catholicism is only a part of what I consider to be my cultural identity. In addition to being a Jesus-lover, I can proudly say that I am an American, born and bred in the South and into a very patriotic family. Along with the American history learned in school, my dad used to read every night out of a 'this day in history' book and then quiz us on events, such as how the Boston Tea Party was organized, , the origin and evolution of the American flag and anthem, and why the South suffered as much as the North when Abraham Lincoln was killed. From the example of an uncle who is a Colonel in the Army, I have learned to appreciate and have a very grateful attitude towards our American military (and all militaries around the world) for the sacrifice of their lives and liberty for the safety of the rest of our nation.

On a daily basis, to the best of my ability, I continue to reinforce my cultural heritage by several means. Though I don't have as much time as I used to, and no longer live at home with my  patriotic Catholic parental units, I still make an effort to attend Sunday mass and frequently receive the sacraments. Just last weekend I attended a retreat held by the University of Florida’s Catholic Student Union, and had the opportunity for personal reflection and Confession. I also enjoy going to adoration (prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament) with my boyfriend, who is Christian. My schoolwork is supplemented with reading 'this day in American history' from a blog I follow, and make an effort to attend Memorial Day and Independence Day services, and I often drag friends along with me to share in remembering and honoring  our American heritage by our presence at such ceremonies.

Memory, History, Identity, and A Good Life

In our modern world, not much thought is given to family ancestry or origin. With so many other diversions to amuse us, including sports, technology, education, and entertainment, little time is left for family and learning about family history. At most we learn about how mom and dad met, or what our first names mean.

The significance of ancestry has been lost over the past few generations, due to our culture's changes in way of life and childrearing. No more do grandma and grandpa live in the house when they grow old; no more do siblings continue to live under the same roof when they get married and have children. We would like to imagine that we care for what our grandparents and parents have to say about family history and why certain family traditions exist, but there seems to be precious little time in which to do so. If the ancestry and culture of individual families are continually being lost, where then is the identity of the general population? If we as Americans,, already a melting pot of diverse backgrounds and cultural struggles, do not take measures to preserve and learn about our immediate family history, our identity as a country will be lost.

To a point, our identity is our family: its traditions, lineage, history, and stories. Our parents, grandparents, and ancestors have written tomes of history before our time; our duty as the new generation is to begin writing our own stories where they left off. To continue a new and unique path in life, one of our own choosing, is just as important as recognizing the weight and importance of the chapters that have been written and lived before us.

Works Cited

Keita: Heritage of the Griot. Dir. Dani Kouyate. Perf. Seydou Boro, Hamed Dicko, Abdoulaye Komboudri. Afix Productions, 1996. DVD. Canvas. California Newsreel. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.

Governing A Good Life

As Americans, we continually seek products and activities that we believe will contribute the most to our well being and happiness. Gym memberships, eating healthy, all natural food, buying high brands of clothing and shoes, belonging to a religious sect, the list goes on and on. It is even stated in our Declaration of Independence that happiness, as well as safety, liberty, equality, and justice, are among the most basic human rights that should be protected by the government.

However, many Americans today complain that the federal government is too big, even infringing upon the most basic rights of its citizens. Rather than be a hindrance to the well being of its citizens, government should provide security of safety and the pursuit of happiness, and broad regulation of activities as a means for individuals to pursue their version of a good life.

The government of Bhutan is far ahead of the rest of the world in actively and directly implementing measures to protect and promote the happiness of its citizens (Canvas video). Ten years ago, Bhutan’s fourth king implemented a program called the Gross National Happiness (GNH), making it the first country to ever attribute its success due to the overall happiness of its people rather than economic success (GDP). National happiness is based upon four pillars of cultural promotion, environmental conservation, equitable and sustainable economic development, and good governance, each one measured statistically through seventy-two variables (e.g. overall health of population,, educational attainment, quality of environment living standards, economic security, etc.) Though we only know one side of the success of GNH in Bhutan (the viewpoint of the elite male politicians rather than the lower classes who are experiencing the first hand effects of the program), its richly Buddhist culture spans back thousands of years, uniting its people in a religious and cultural identity.

Having a general knowledge of Bhutan’s people and other global cultures is crucial to having a balanced worldview. Ignorance of other cultures can lead to a fear of them, as the unknown tends to be feared and ostracized; a sort of ‘us’ vs ‘them’ mentality. Generalizations about other peoples can lead to judgement and condemnation of them without ever knowing the facts, such as the Americans’ view of Asians after Pearl Harbor. Americans subsequently adopted a hatred of the entire Asian culture, when really it was the decision of a few elite Japanese politicians to bomb Pearl Harbor.

Overcoming ignorance of other cultures enables us to relate to other peoples in ways we could have never imagined before. Almost all cultures and religions share the same core values, including the promotion of peace, aid to those in need, and compassion for all people, even one’s enemies. Karen Armstrong notes that the implementation of the Golden Rule- doing unto others what you would have them do unto you- is at the center of every single religion in existence. The only way religions differ is in that implementation of compassion to your fellow men; this is where specific religious practices differ in their rules and teachings to its members. Therefore, communicating between cultures is key to understanding and learning from each other. The United Nations’ development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights post World War II implemented this idea of compassion globally.

In order to efficiently and adequately govern a good life, government needs to be able to enact rules and guidelines of activities in order to provide a safe and secure environment for its citizens to achieve a good life, including conserving the environment, promoting the health of its citizens and cultural richness, and ensuring good governance. However, it is up to each individual citizen to emulate compassion and understanding to all of his fellow citizens, in order to attain a friendly and happy society that is balanced and informed on all matters, promoting a good life for all.

Works Cited

 Armstrong, Karen. "My Wish: The Charter for Compassion." TED Talks. TED Talks. Web. 13 Feb. 2016. 

"Bhutan: Gross National Happiness." Canvas. Santa Fe College. Web. 13 Feb. 2016.

"Charter for Compassion." YouTube. Santa Fe College, 18 Nov. 2012. Web. 13 Feb. 2016.

"The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription." The Charters. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 13 Feb. 2016.

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations." UN News Center. United Nations, 10 Dec. 1948. Web. 13 Feb. 2016.

Service for A Good Life

Mission church construction mission, led by young adults ages 17-24

I am a millennial. Though many older adults have a negative perspective towards my generation, I don’t believe we are as hopeless and immoral as they make us out to be. Many of us are genuinely nice people. People still perform random acts of kindness. Among our generation, smoking has decreased and tolerance of other ethnicities, races, gender identities, and religions has increased. However, there is always room for improvement.

The amount of civic and social capital produced by Generations X, Y, and Z has declined over the years, as involvement and membership in local organizations and clubs has decreased, even driving some to extinction (Putnam). Though we are participating in a worldwide increase in social media activism, this alone is not effective in generating much physical presence at social events and political protests, which Gladwell states motivates people to do the things that people do when they are not motivated enough to make a real sacrifice, such as donating a dollar online for Syrian refugees rather than protesting for a day in Washington D.C. for the same cause.

Both sides of activism are equally important, and need to be in balance in order for high amounts of civic and social capital to be reached. Political and humane organizations and clubs need two things:

1. Financial backing and popularity in order to function and to raise awareness for their causes. This is currently done through the internet and social media.
2. Physical membership and involvement in order to motivate politicians and local governments to action. Members are needed to attend club meetings, host fundraisers, and participate in events and protests.

A balance between the two will ensure that organizations have the awareness and active membership  that they need to achieve specific efforts and fundraising goals. Though much of our generation is currently more active on social media than in memberships of organizations, many that are currently involved find great personal fulfillment and would participate in said activities again and again, some in the hope that in the future they too will benefit from other nonprofit organizations in the future. This principle of generated reciprocity can not only aid our local municipal, religious, educational, athletic, and destitute communities,  but also help young people to care and help people other than themselves. Our American culture of individualism is defeated when youth go out of their way to serve others and to help others around them, without expecting something back (Tocqueville).

Works Cited

Gladwell, Malcolm. "Small Change - The New Yorker." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2010. Web. 07 Feb. 2016.

Simon, and Schuster. "Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival of American Community." New York Times on the Web. New York Times, 2000. Web. 7 Feb. 2016.

Tocqueville. "Tocqueville Reading." Canvas. Instructure. Web. 7 Feb. 2016.