CTA 1

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School

University of California, Riverside *

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Course

139

Subject

Anthropology

Date

Oct 30, 2023

Type

pdf

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Uploaded by SuperField2032

Gabrielle Kiger ANTH 001 22 October 2023 Culture Culture can show up in many different ways throughout society. Every individual has different views and it is important to understand where they come from. Culture can be passed down from elders with customs and traditions. It shapes how people think and think. Culture plays a huge role in understanding how people think and how they act. I have several different traditions and customs from my culture in my family. In regards to our customs and traditions, there are things we do to honor both sides of my parents heritage. My father’s side is German and we always make German cookies and participate in big family gatherings with his siblings. My mother’s side is from Spain and we see her customs come out in many ways. We have certain meals that we eat around specific times of the year. Culture matters to me in helping me understand the world and it influences my personal views. Relatives on both sides of my family immigrated to the United States, and it gives me a perspective on how different cultural practices can blend into one another. I am able to see people who immigrate to the United States and have a better understanding. Culture empowers me by giving me connection and community. I am able to connect with people from Spanish and German cultures more. I have grown up learning about their communities so I can connect with others who have similar experiences. My culture also empowers me with my religious views. I grew up being surrounded by religion and showed its importance. I am also culturally empowered in social and political change. I live my culture by attending cultural events. On my mother’s side there are celebrations that occur throughout the year that I participate in. I embrace these traditions and I always enjoy talking to my

grandparents about their personal experiences so that I can learn more about the culture they have passed down. Culture operates and manifests itself in my everyday life and my family's lives. A strong family core operates in my everyday life because I am constantly in contact with my family throughout the day. When I moved away for college, I still chose to stay close to home so I could visit often. While in school, I still see my family members at least once a week. My parents have instilled values of education and family bond. I think that education is an important value because I am among the first generation of soon to be college graduates in my family. Becoming well educated has been an important value ever since I was young. As I previously mentioned, family bond is a very important value. It is important because it provides me with a sense of belonging and security. One of the cultural norms that I participate in is roasting chili that we get from New Mexico around late September. We prepare the chili for the rest of the year. Another cultural norm that shapes my behavior is dressing modestly. This is especially important every Sunday when I go to church. I have grown up dressing up in what is called my “Sunday Best.” My parents have instilled in me mental maps of reality in regards to placing value on different ages of relatives. I have grown up knowing never to question my grandparents and great-grandparents and to respect my elders. Another way mental maps of reality have shaped my behavior is the importance of voting. As soon as I turned 18, I have been voting in every election. I grew up around consumer culture. If there was anything that I needed growing up I could easily get it. As I got older and started to notice social trends and beauty standards, I began to desire more things on a want basis and not a need basis. The culture I am surrounded by is filled with buying what you want to fit the social trends. This can be seen in my desire for luxury

sneakers such as Golden Goose, new cowboy boots, and even new golf shoes even though I already have several of each. The culture I’m surrounded by makes me want to have more. Gender plays a big role in my consumption patterns because on top of social pressures I feel that as a female I have to live up to the beauty standards. This leads to consumption of makeup, hair care, and skincare. Additionally, while in college there is a desire to have all the new technology such as a new Apple phone, AirPods, MacBook, and iPad while in class. I participate in the creation of cultures of consumerism because I will end up buying most of the items that I have listed in a short period of time. If there is a new curling iron or new mascara that I want, and believe it will help me look better, then I will purchase it quickly. Consumerism culture is produced by the desire to look like someone else and to fit in with others. Social media has made this culture more prominent because it is so easy to see what other people have and notice that you don’t have it. Brands like Apple products are something that as a consumer I want to acquire due to the social status it brings you. Apple is considered cool and trendy and there is a sense of needing any of the new products that they release. I do not feel this way about other technology brands which is interesting to note about my consumer habits. Additionally, I find myself wanting pit passes at Stagecoach because of the social status that everyone else has when they have the special access bands. Overall, culture plays a big role in my day to day life. My perspectives on certain aspects of life have been taught to me by parents and grandparents who pass down traditions and customs. The culture that surrounds us heavily influences us. In this day and age, consumer culture is a big part of our daily lives. There are social pressures that make people feel the need to consume goods and services at a high rate.

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Rubric for Self-evaluation of First Draft CTA 1 Use the questions below to guide you in your reviews. 1. __2.5____ Did I produce an error-free draft essay that hits all the main points in the prompt? (3) 2. ___2____ Did I grade my first draft essay using the self-evaluation rubric provided? ( 2 ) 3. ___3____ Did I assess and write a two-paragraph, self-evaluation summary, reflecting on the strengths and areas of improvement of my first draft essay? ( 3 ) 4. ____2____ Did I revise and improve my first draft essay based on the self-assessment of my own work? (2) Total Score 9.5/10 The strengths of my essay include bringing in several personal experiences about my culture. I talk about some of our customs to give the reader a better understanding of how culture shows through my day to day life. Additionally, I think I do a good job of really hitting all of the requirements and questions asked in this essay. My essay also helps describe the textbook terms well and gives examples so that the reader is able to understand the terms. Another strength would be to explain what culture really means in all the different aspects of the paper. The area of improvement my essay could use would be some more structure. It seems like there is not a lot of flow through the paper. A clear transition of topics would really help the organization. Additionally, a more explanatory introduction could be useful to give the reader a better understanding of what is going to be discussed. Another area of improvement would be to take out any of the extra “fluff” that is in the body paragraphs, and get to the point faster. Sometimes it is easy to pad the sentences and not dive right into the topic.