Culture American Culture Prides Itself

Culture

American culture prides itself on its diversity, but still expects a high degree of conformity. I have received mixed messages about cultural norms, because on the one hand Americans celebrate diversity and on the other hand, Americans deny it. Symbols of the dominant culture are visible everywhere we look. Television commercials tell us we must buy things to be able to function in our society or to be accepted socially. Advertisements inform us about what constitutes physical beauty for both men and women. Movies show us how we should behave with our family, our friends, and our loved ones. We also learn about the dominant culture in school, from our peers who make fun of people who are different or whose values, beliefs, background, or appearance differs from established norms.

A frequently see bumper stickers telling Americans to "speak English" instead of celebrating the diversity of languages in our nation. Language is one of the main ways American culture provides a double standard. The languages of my people have been systematically oppressed to the point where few can even speak them any more. However, many words from foreign languages and indigenous American languages have made their way into the dominant dialects.

A dominant culture can destroy centuries of cultural and religious traditions. I am a Native American but my religion is Catholic because at some point my ancestors converted to the religion of the dominant culture. Only a few people I know can speak a Native American language and I hardly know anyone who speaks their native tongue exclusively. I believe that we should preserve ancient cultures and traditions as much as possible. Once a custom, language, or culture is lost, it is gone forever. History books cannot piece together the elements of a culture in any meaningful way.

The dominant culture has affected my self-esteem and self-concept in ways I am still learning. My body is different than the average body. My eyes, skin color, and facial expressions are not like the ones I see on television. Our family is different than the families in most American movies: we talk to each other differently and our humor is different. I see myself as being both an outsider and an insider. Proud of my heritage, I still stand apart from it at times. Occasionally I feel accepted as a mainstream American but the very next minute I can feel ostracized and isolated. I can only imagine what it might be like for a new immigrant who cannot speak English, or for those who are disabled.

A dominant culture can impose itself on us subtly or systematically. The debate over gay marriage is a perfect example of how our culture systematically imposes a value system on others. Those who oppose gay marriage do so because they believe that heterosexuality is normal. Any other expression of love is considered to be abnormal and therefore not legally valid. In the past, interracial marriages were illegal because they did not conform to the national standard of legitimate love. Many of the normative behaviors we take for granted were at one time forbidden: such as women being able to vote or own businesses.

Although minorities have become more visible in American culture recently, a dominant culture is still assumed to be the correct one. Males are by default the norm so that doctors are sometimes called "female doctors." When we see an African-American or a Jewish comedian on television, that person plays up his or her ethnic identity in ways whites are not expected to do because being white is the norm.

A often feel that people like me who are Native American possibly experience the most outsider status of any other ethnic or cultural group in the United States. For centuries, the dominant culture has forced my people to give up our religious rituals, our musical traditions, our customs, and our languages. Then the commercialism that is part of the dominant culture ensures that white people profit off of Native American arts, crafts, sound recordings, and imagery such as that used in sports teams. African-Americans have suffered a similar fate of having to abandon their histories and heritages. Embracing Islam is one way African-Americans have reclaimed their African identity with pride.