Mexican Cultural Identity Essay - 1471 Words

The Department of the Army (2014) defines culture as a â€Å"Web of meaning shared by members of a particular society or group within a society† (p. 3-1). In a previous version of Field Manual (FM) 3-24 the Department of the Army (2006) defines culture as â€Å"A system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that members of a society use to cope with their world and with one another† (p. 3-6). Culture can mean many different things to many different people and societies. To put one definition on it will not work. Over the next couple of pages an attempt will be made to explain culture further as well as consider the culture of Mexico by looking at the Mexican physical geography, military conflict history and their impact on the†¦show more content†¦The values that one holds to be true can vary significantly from person to person in any given society or culture. While one individual may value his religion above all else, another may value t ime with family or something such as monetary wealth to be the most important thing to him. One’s values will significantly impact how he reacts or perceives another’s actions or response. In Mexico, families are typically large and family is the most important value along with religion (Zimmermann, 2017). Attitudes and perceptions work together in one’s culture. A society’s or group’s attitude toward outside groups, United States military, the United States, host nation government, and many more will affect how those mentioned groups will perceive that culture and in turn how those groups respond and act when dealing with the individuals in that culture. The following paragraphs portray historical and significant events in Mexico. It would be easy to see how attitudes and perceptions toward the United States could be negative. The Mexican War, 1846-1848 and the ensuing Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo were very significant events in the Mexican History. Along with this was the Mexican victory over the French invasion in 1867 which is still celebrated to this day on every 5th day of May. Lastly, the seemingly never-ending war against the drug cartels has been very important consideringShow MoreRelatedTaming Anzalduas Contact Zone Analysis984 Words   |  4 Pagestwo different cultures meet and inform each other, often in highly asymmetrical ways.† Pratt describes what she calls ‘contact zones’ and elaborates on the pros and cons of these cultural interactions. She sees the contact zone as a place that allows people to exchange cultural ideas and break down the dividing cultural borders. When a contact zone is started, people are able to interact on new levels gaining a new perspective because they are able to collaborate with people from foreign culturesRead MoreBecoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender (Devor1029 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica An argument essay by Melvin Richardson) â€Å"Resistance is futile† is a resounding statement first exclaimed by the alien race called the Borg in the Gene Roddenberry long running television series Star Trek. â€Å"Why do you resist? Asked the Borg commander, Ryker replies â€Å"I like my species the way it is†! Borg commander counters with, â€Å"We only wish to raise quality of life for all species†. This is the last thing you heard before your kind was assimilated and your unique cultural and biological essencesRead MoreMexican American Culture1658 Words   |  7 Pagesunique and distinguishing characteristics. One’s cultural identity defines who they are as an individual, group, and community. Their cultural identity may be reflected in numerous ways such as: language, communication styles, religion, beliefs, values, clothing, or other types of aesthetic markers. Cultural identity is formed by many of these traits but is not limited to these specifically. This essay will provide deta iled information on Mexican Americans, and their ancestry and heritage. I willRead MoreIts Hard Enough Being Me By Anna Lisa Raya886 Words   |  4 PagesIn the student essay â€Å"It’s Hard Enough Being Me† written by Anna Lisa Raya, the author portrays herself as a credible source for understanding the role of identity in an educational setting. Raya then appeals to an audience of Latinos and other minorities through her emotions such as stating, â€Å"I had never questioned who I was or where I was from† (Raya 121). In the end, she resolves the life-longing issues of identity crisis and cultural shock by staying true to herself and â€Å"Soy yo and no one else†¦Punto†Read MoreStatus Of The Historiography Of Chicano Education899 Words   |  4 PagesGuadalupe San Miguel Jr mentions Several factors that have altered and molded Chicanos throughout time. The cultural imbalance, geographical and society changes caused Chicanos to feel unfit for the Anglo-Society. This prevented Chicanos students from attending school and developing English literacy. For instance, the article mentions how schools located in California and Texas excluded Mexicans from attending primary and secondary school because Chicanos lacked an understanding of the language EnglishRead MoreLa Soledad, By Octavio Paz900 Words   |  4 Pageshistoria de Mà ©xico, desde la Conquista hasta la Revolucià ³n, puede verse como una bà ºsqueda de nosotros mismos† (Paz, 2008:175) The Mexican preoccupation is not just a search for an origin, but also a search for one’s self. It is the combination of the self and in some cases the origin, which defines the nation, because a nation must of course be defined by people. In this essay I intend to explore the concept of nationhood in Mexico and the way in which the process of capturing and defining it manifestsRead MoreThe Spanish Chicano Culture1386 Words   |  6 PagesAnzaldua in her essay, How to Tame a Wild Tongue† provides an insight of how she experienced the concept being brought up in dual culture society. On one hand, one of the cultures involved the American culture that she experienced on her academic journey. This culture expected her to adhere and speak clearly to the American English language. For instance, the culture required that â€Å"if Anzaldua what to be American, Speak ‘American.’ If you don’t like it, go back to Mexico where you belong† (2). OnRead MoreThe Chicano Spanish And Chicano1284 Words   |  6 Pagesgroup of people in a society where they felt rather ashamed of their language. In the essay of what Anzaldua wrote about the Chicano Spanish were discriminating themselves of being a marginalized group that their language was socially inferior to the dominant discourse, the English language in America. The Chicano, or the Spanish people, in American society’s goal was that they wanted to get rid of their cultural language in order for the Chicanos to become â€Å" Americanized† by speaking the dominantRead MoreThe Negative Impact of Bilangual Education1216 Words   |  5 Pagesfitting in and adapting to two different linguistic and cultural world can have lasting impacts on individuals, hence, Richard Rodriguez, in his book â€Å"Achievement of Desire†, addresses his struggles as a young boy, trying to adapt to a bilingual education and how that education alienated him from his uneducated Me xican parents. Additionally in the excerpts â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue,† Gloria Anzaldua, while she mainly focuses on the language of â€Å"Mexican† people in different aspects, also mentions her strifeRead MoreCultural Tradition And Cultural Traditions1708 Words   |  7 PagesIt is clear that cultural tradition delivers set foundations into a person’s lifetime, giving identity and sense of belonging to a person and their social group. It allows individuals to feel part of something and understand their ancestral values and customs. Several people believe that it is very important to preserve cultural traditions because they feel as if tradition is the main enabler to a shared identity and to a construction of social consistency and unity. People also believe that conservancy