January 12th, 2007

January 12Th, 2007

Yesterday in my first English 110 class we talked about what exactly culture is and how it influences people in society. Culture is everywhere and there is culture in every person. The culture that we are a member of directly affects how we act in society. What we wear, what we do and maybe more importantly how we communicate are direct results of culture. For example, in some cultures it is disrespectful for a female to look into a males eyes while talking, however in our culture it is shown as disrespectful not to. This is the same for language, in every culture we communicate with different words and different words mean different things. Children learn at a very young age what is appropriate and what is not appropriate. When i watch children interacting in society i think it is bizarre how they know how to act. I especially notice the different ways to communicate and act when I babysat. When I showed up at a house the children would act very crazy and wild and misbehave more but as soon as their parent left they calmed down and became very respectful children. Children know when it is OK to act up and when it is time to not. I find it amazing that children also know how to act in society such as what is acceptable in church is not acceptable in situations such as at home. Children learn very quickly the different cultures that they belong to. This also directly relates to how they talk and communicate in the same way was they act. I have learned that children pick up on things very fast and many parts of society do not have to be taught, but are learned as a child gets older.