Essay Sample on Culture Values Worldwide

Samples
Posted on January 28, 2008

Culture is a thing that every person should take care of. It reflects the beliefs, traditions, and goals of a nation. It is hard to discuss the notion of culture because it covers many aspects of human lives. That is why it is necessary to write about certain problems or ideas in a paper. Below, one can see a culture values paper sample. It discusses the term “culture” and its meaning for the representatives of different ethnic groups. Besides, it is structured according to academic requirements and has a list of used sources in MLA format.

Essay Sample: Cultural Values Meaning for All of Us

In the beginning, we must have an imagination about what is culture. From Latin, this word means cultivation, education, formation, homage, and upbringing. This spread range of meanings shows us that culture is one of the most important factors for developing strong and wise social consciousness. Spiritual and material values are an integral part of the culture. “For where your treasure [value] is, there your heart will be also” – is written in the Bible (Mt. 6:21). Human motivation is often egoistic profit and gaining it takes all life. Likewise, it is a destructive motive that is developed by greed. Really creative motive is a ministry to people around and works for common peace. Therefore, such values must be part of an excellent society. So, every nation disappears or becomes stronger, supported by the loss or consolidation of definite types of culture and values connected with them.

What are cultural values examples? The Library and Information Science Network identifies the ten most significant values of representatives of all cultures. They are time orientation, individualism, power distance, collectivism, universalism, competitiveness, cooperation, uncertainty avoidance, and direct and indirect verbal language usage. All these values show how people from Asia, Africa, Europe, America, and Australia behave in different life situations. When people hear about some ethnic group, they have a certain image of their behavior and interaction with others. That is what we call a stereotype. It is up to a person whether to follow it or not. The main thing is that cultural values unite people and make them stronger. These are the so-called rules that help people reach social and physical harmony.

In the pattern of the essay “Why They Excel” by Fox Butterfield, we have admitted this point of view on the example of American and Asian cultures, and their influence on students’ success. Part of Asian children after they’ve come to America and began studying at University also began to excel among American students. And author analyzes this phenomenon with other scientists. They have proved, that the IQ level, of American and Asian children, doesn’t differ. But they have noticed other, not less important, things about the upbringing of children by their parents.
The part of Asian culture and belief system of Confucianism is the “hard work”, especially for children to succeed. American parents think that a child must have a talent to succeed, and it is also a part of the culture, Christian culture, but nothing about Christ’s teaching: “Knock and the door will be opened for you” (Mt. 7:7). As well, the author forms 3 significant factors for Asian students’ success: (1)hard work, (2)parents spend more time with children helping them, and (3)cultural & religious base.

Speaking about the values of African culture, it differs from the Western one. It is worth mentioning the six subtypes of their values – economic, social, moral, esthetic, political, and religious. All of them are closely connected, and they base their values on customary laws. The most essential festivals include ethnical dances and worshiping of some deities who protect them from curses, bad spirits, or natural disasters and realize their wishes. The most discouraging sins are stealing and the offense of divine creatures. Another distinctive feature of African cultural values is the image of beauty. European and Asian cultures worship thin and even skinny women, while Africans have a feeding tradition for brides who should be fatter and, consequently, more beautiful for their husbands. Unlike many other cultures that elect influential people for their governments, Africa’s political hierarchy takes its roots in families. Every leader is treated like a God. That is why people who mistreat a leader go through severe punishments. So, unity is the core value of African culture.

Collectivism and sharing of responsibility is the key value of Hispanic and Latino cultures. They place the needs of a country and a family over the needs of one person. The same can be said about American Indians and Alaska Natives. Though, their customs and traditions differ, the basis of their cultures are the same. These values help them live in harmony and manifest tolerance to each other.

Likewise, what was noticed, the situation in Ukraine arises very non-ordinary. In times of the Soviet Union, values and especially culture was extremely changed from those that were on the lands of ancient Christian Kyiv Russ and Ukraine. Reasoning from the knowledge that the state of Kyiv Russ was the greatest and the most developed state in Europe, but without strong cultural relationships at all levels of society such progress could not be possible. What is more interesting and ruefully, in modern times the Ukrainian labor culture almost doesn’t exist, and values are false. Previously, faith, honor, loyalty, respect for the elderly, and education were the most desired things among white cultures, including the Ukrainian. Today, money – is the highest value for a big part of our, and not only, society.

The analysis that we have made, gives us a clear vision of the place of culture in the process of developing a young or mutilated society. Cultural values are inherited with the blood, but various historical events can influence and adapt them to the needs of the epoch. Lack of developed culture leads to chaos. Even in that modern Ukrainian chaos in social life, I see that spiritual values begin to arise. Also culture we can place among spiritual instruments, and if spiritual values are arises then true, creative culture will arise, and as it were with our ancestors, who were people with tremendous and deep spiritual life and understanding, so I believe that it will be a great and fortified basement for Ukrainian and world’s future.

Resources:

  1. Idang, Gabriel. “African Culture and Values.” Scielo.Org, www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1561-40182015000200006. Accessed 6 Apr. 2022.
  2. Matthew Read Bible Online.” Read Bible Online, www.readbibleonline.net/?page_id=47. Accessed 6 Apr. 2022.
  3. Monte, Katherine del. “Cultural Values and Beliefs of the Latino Community.” Lectura Books, 14 Apr. 2021, www.lecturabooks.com/cultural-values-beliefs-latino-community.
  4. “NOT-OD-15-089: Racial and Ethnic Categories and Definitions for NIH Diversity Programs and for Other Reporting Purposes.” GrantsNIH, grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-15-089.html. Accessed 6 Apr. 2022.
  5. Times, The New York. “WHY ASIANS ARE GOING TO THE HEAD OF THE CLASS Some Fear Colleges Use Quotas to Limit Admissions.” The New York Times, 3 Aug. 1986, www.nytimes.com/1986/08/03/education/why-asians-are-going-head-class-some-fear-colleges-use-quotas-limit-admissions.html.
  6. “What Are the Different Types of Cultures.” Lisbdnet.Com, 7 Dec. 2021, lisbdnet.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-cultures.
  7. “What Is Cultural Values.” Lisbdnet.Com, 22 Dec. 2021, lisbdnet.com/what-is-cultural-values.
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