preview

The Importance Of Culture And Cultural Controversy

Better Essays

Cultural identity is not a predetermined set of beliefs that exists at birth and remains unchanged throughout a person’s lifetime. As a person develops their social identity, they are constantly acquiring and processing new information. From language acquisition to developing political opinion, a person both absorbs information from their surroundings and channels their response to information into expression. Through this process of development, a person assimilates into the culture of their surroundings, but also responds and adds to their own understanding of their cultural identity. A person’s culture is both adopted and expressed. Culture is not limited to food tastes or what type of clothing is worn. Following ideologies also tie in with cultural identity. A Christian considers his faith to god a part of his identity in similar fashion to how people perceive their own tastes in music or the hobbies they partake in.
Culture, being tied so closely to one’s idea of their own identity, is often a focal point to tension between those with different ideals. Controversy occurs when one person or group performs an action that goes against the typical cultural identity of the collective that the person or group belongs. When two different groups hold opposing views, conflict ensues. When two groups within a culture hold opposing views, controversy ensues. Controversy revolves around any object, institution, system of beliefs, etc. that possesses cultural significance or

Get Access