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Observed From The Standpoint Within Western Culture, It

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Observed from the standpoint within Western Culture, it can be a challenge to fully step out of the context of it to gain an outside perspective. Nevertheless, it appears as a necessary aspect to question what is culture and what is not, to therefore get a clearer understanding of what we are as humans. Western Culture can arguably be considered one of the most influential cultures to the rest of the world, and is embedded deeply in the globalization movement of the world. It is not a surprise to find an English book or a McDonald 's in Thailand, Nigeria, or Israel. Western Culture has spread its roots to nearly all corners of the world, bringing with it the ideals of the industrial revolution, capitalism, along with many other notions. …show more content…

The Buddhist community also shares many beliefs including the Four Nobel Truths, the Eight Fold Path, the Law of Karma, and the Middle Way. American Buddhist is a constantly growing community that encompasses people from many paths. It is stated, "[f]or rough comparative purposes, it is probably safe to say that the number of Buddhists in America constitutes somewhere between 0.5percent and 1.5 percent of the total population" (Gregory 237). This minute demographic is largely influenced by Thailand, which is where the temple I attend, Wat Florida Dhammaram, is founded by. This is not the only culture that affects the American Buddhist community; it is truly a cocktail of different influences, including Western Culture. Rightfully, it is expressed, “[w]hat often gets overlooked in discussions of American Buddhism is that it is developing within a larger global context..."(Gregory 249). Buddhism is evolving in many different countries, and recently has began to become integrated in Western countries through the globalization of the world and particularly through information available via electronics.
Frequently when attempting Wat Florida Dhammaram, I reflect on what living in a country like Thailand would be like. I often consider how the culture would be different in other places also like Colombia. These two countries can mistakenly be observed through eyes obscured by ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is accurately

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