In good ole' college literature we were discussing the importance of one's race. Did it indeed impact how people lived? It was my personal belief that culture influences people more than race does. For example, a black person growing up in McFarland will have totally different experiences and develop a different lifestyle than a black person growing up in downtown Chicago. It is the culture that differs so the person grows up with different ideas, experiences, opportunities, etc. Lydia also brought up the fact that a person who grows up in an extremely Polish household will have similar upbringings regardless of their race. Many members of the class did believe that culture more heavily influenced how a person grows up than race did. It was a thought-provoking and (sometimes) heated debate. It reminded me of Birdie and the experiences she had. At school in Boston (Nkrumah) she acted one way to fit the culture around her. She started wearing clothes accepted by her black peers and started using black slang to fit in. When she moved to New Hampshire, she had a totally different experience. She did a 180 to fit in with the people there. She started listening to metal and wearing cheap make-up. While her race technically changed, it was the culture that changed her- and the need to fit in.
xoxo
Charlotte
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AGREED, sassybritches! I think certain races can be tied to certain cultures - due to historical trends, events, etc... but in no way does race define your culture. Culture is so much more influential than race, which is really just a physical reflection...silly silly!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you Hanners. Culture and race are different, and although many people tie them together... they're different, alright! Anyways, the blue font hurt my eyes. Just an FYI for ya there ;)
ReplyDeleteHannah: Those are good points, however;
ReplyDeleteI think that race has some influence on the culture that you are brought up in. For example, if you are born into a family of a certain race, you are most likely going to be raised around people of your race and of your culture. The two go hand in hand.
That's the reason Birdie had such trouble fitting in, in my opinion. She was between two races, two cultures, and that was confusing to her because she had to try to fit into both.