Perspectives of Culture and Diversity

The first person I talked with was a 20 year old Caucasian female. She defined culture as the way you do things, how you survive in this world including belief, morals, custom, and habits. She defined diversity has differences of culture, background, and experience among individuals and groups.

The second person I talked with was a 35 year old African American male. He defined culture as beliefs characteristics of an ethnic or age group. He defined diversity has the quality of its physical, social, cultural, and intellectual environment which embraces the rich difference within the human characteristics.

The last person I talked with a 54 year old mixed female. She was Caucasian and African American. She defined culture has shared patterns of behaviors and affective understanding that are learned through a process of socialization. She defined diversity has the welcome and support of individuals from all groups encompassing the various characteristics of people in our community.

　

The Caucasian female really thought about the words to give me a definition that went beyond the surface layers of the words. Some of the comments she made was in our first week of class. The African American guy definition of culture was similar to mind before I started this course. His definition of diversity covered the person as a whole the same way we are learning this term in class. The last lady defined culture and diversity deeply going pass the first layer.

　

From talking with 3 of my friends I found that we all have our own definitions of the words culture and diversity but to some point we are all on the same page. I have learned that we have to go pass the outer skin of the words and must look deep into the words so that we cover it all.