Response journal entry Week #2

How do your beliefs, values, and cultural upbringing influence the way you behave?
The way we behave really depends on how we were raised in the long run. We often develop values and belief based on the cultural tradition and family morals that we are brought up with are totally true or reliable.
However, all these beliefs can change due to changing contemporary values and culture we are often exposed. As we grow up, the traditions and beliefs sometimes begin to contradict our principles, and begin to adapt them according to our situation and our own needs and requirements we live trough that time.


How does it feel when others see you as different—or as an outsider?
When the system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and objects that the members of society use to interact with their world and with one another is different from what we are used to.
After I graduated from high school I went to live to the States and then a few years later after I lived in China. In these two countries I definitely felt different from the others, in other words, felt weird and totally confused by the whole new situation I was going trough that time, mostly because I didn´t speak at all these two languages. Nevertheless it helped me to understand that individuals from other cultures may not see the world in the same way. What we may consider as different or strange may be considered perfectly normal in another one.
Having these unique experiences made me realize it's very interesting to get to know as many cultures as you can, and be part of a new evolving world perspective.


How do others' beliefs, values, and cultural upbringing influence the way they behave?
Cultural knowledge is a valuable in our society. Other´s people values, belief, and cultural upbringing forms reflect the value of cultural currency, which forms behavior in groups.
Also, having culture knowledge can help us on how we see ourselves "fitting" in the world around us. The more open and understandable we are to others we begin to define ourselves into a larger and not stereotype culture where our way of our social interacting with other nationalities can become into a new perception of general culture.