Identity and cultural perspectives in modern society

¶ … cultures and identities in today's world. The author explores the different dimensions that influence individuals and identities and how it impacts the way society operates in the world. There were five sources used to complete this paper.

As the world continues to evolve, societal changes are taking place. Globalization contributes to the melting pot called earth and as societal barriers come down, people have a chance to learn about other cultures throughout the globe. Wars, religions, education aspirations and other elements of daily life are impacted by one's identity. Whether one wants to be a scientist, housewife, rabbi or actor their personal identity has an impact on that desire being developed. Another important factor in how identity develops is the culture in which one is raised. Cultural differences play a strong part in the development of identity. They are similar yet different as their individual elements overlap and separate to create the difference between a population and an individual. One can examine several cultures worldwide to see how they create multiple dimensions when it comes to one's personal identity.

One of the more current examples of how culture can impact yet remain different from personal identity is with the war in Iraq.

The Iraqi population is heavily influenced by the Muslim cultural beliefs. This has been an issue for many years and has caused a significant amount of stress for those who live in the country as well as those who live in the surrounding nations.

The war in Iraq sets a perfect stage to explain the difference between individual identity and societal culture (Pipes, 2004).

The people of Iraq by and large are Muslim. They have been so for many generations and when Saddam Hussein was in power it was a requirement. Periodically the world heard news stories of non-Muslims being persecuted and put to death because they individually strayed from the culturally mandated religious faith. When America and its allies went into Iraq to unseat Saddam from power they encountered resistance they had no anticipated. The cultural pressure to fight against non-Muslims had been instilled for many years and initially it moved to the forefront. However as time moved forward individuals began to separate themselves from the cultural upbringing they had been exposed to and they began to create individual identities that were separate and apart from their culture (Pipes, 2004).

As a predominantly Muslim people, Iraqis share in the powerful

Muslim reluctance to being ruled by non-Muslims. This reluctance results from the very nature of Islam, the most public and political of religions (Pipes, 2004)."

Currently there are many individuals in that culture who have developed independent identities and are working to rebuild their nation based on their personal desires and goals even though they still share a cultural religious majority of being Muslim.

The Cold War also presents an example of the difference between culture and identity. The Cold War created an entire culture of Soviet beliefs and habits that the Western world could not understand. As the cold war moved forward however many individuals who lived under its rule began to take on individual identities that had nothing to do with what their governments wanted done. The subsequent result in that were the eventual end of the Cold War and the dismantling of the Soviet Union (Bargeron, 2003).

Perhaps the most telling example of the difference between culture and identity for America is the discussion of slavery. Nowhere else in the history of the nation is something so blatant and obvious. The African-American culture in and of itself is a huge example of the difference that can be documented between individual identify and cultural tradition (Yaquinto, 2004). African-Americans were brought here for the purpose of being worked as slaves. They brought with them their cultural heritage and background which is still prevalent today. Songs, holidays, dress and religious faith of Africa can still be seen in American homes and streets 200 years after the first African arrived. These are cultural traditions and have been invaluable in assisting the African-American population in overcoming the atrocities that were done to them during the slave years. While these are important to the African-American culture and development it is interesting to note the many developments of individual identity as well. African-Americans develop individually concerning where they want to raise children, what church they wish to attend, what football teams they love and what they want to do for a living. While their culture is often intertwined in their lives it does not necessarily dictate who they become and who their children become.

The historical foundation of the reparations movement, its raison d'etre, is foremost the institution of slavery. Slavery was not marginal to, or an aberration in, the formation of the United States. During the colonial period, a racialised social order evolved, as did codified slave laws and institutionalised slave practices at the level of everyday life. Constitutionally inscribed and morally and forcibly sanctioned slavery lasted in the republic until 1865. What followed slavery was a century of segregation, exploitation and deprivation -- the social and economic consequences of which continue to affect the life chances of African-Americans adversely (Yaquinto, 2004)." This impacted an entire culture while individual identities were being formed and lived out.

The difference between identity and culture can be seen on many levels. One of the most obvious levels is in politics. The culture itself that one belongs to or was raised in may have a powerful voice when it comes to a political party or forum. The Million Man March is a classic example of a culture having a voice in the political arena, however there were also millions of African-Americans who not only did not participate but did not believe in the same political views and platforms that the march was built on. This underscores the difference between identity and culture.