Friday, May 18, 2012

Perspectives of Diversity and Culture

This week, I had to ask three different people their definition of culture and diversity. I asked my sister, sister in law and co-worker of mine. We had to ask one person who is culturally different than ourselves and that is my co-worker. Regardless of the different cultures all three basically said the same thing.
(sister) Culture: Groups of people--like people from Spain--following specific traditions/rules
(sister-in-law) Culture: People of the same group following the same rules
(co-worker) Culture: Beliefs people have--one group of people believing the same thing

(sister) Diversity: Different kinds of people like different races.
(sister-in-law) Diversity: Different genders, races--just different people.
(co-worker) Diversity: Different types of people.

I thought their answers were pretty good. I asked them informally and wanted the first answer that came to mind. I think they all did a great job explaining what we have been learning in class. The beliefs people have is a simple way to describe culture. Different types of people is a simple way to describe diversity. When one group follows one belief that is a culture. I don't feel anything was omitted from their definitions. Their definitions were solid definitions that we have been reviewing in class. If I were asked to define these words I would have to agree with each answer--their answers influenced me to understand that the people I surround myself with view diversity and culture as I do. Even my co-worker, who is of a different race, answered the questions similar to my sister and sister-in-law, who are of the same diversity as me.

5 comments:

StacieSmith said...

I found it interesting that most of the people who we asked gave very similar answers. I think a lot of people see culture as the sameness and diversity as the difference.

Angela Hoguet said...

Hello Rebekah,

My mother also spells her name "Rebekah" you're the only other person I've known who spells it that way!

The people I interviewed also had similar answers.

Barbara2 said...

Isn't it interesting the different/same definitions that people give. I found that the people closest to me are the ones that gave definitions the most opposite that I would give.

Ginny said...

Rebekah,
After reading their definitions I found myself with a definitions of - different people living together, following the same rules. Now, I know this is not exactly what it is but I found it kind of comical that that came to mind. The definitions that everyone you spoke with gave are what we have been learning about. It is good to hear that the definitions we are receiving are what we are learning about.
Ginny

Patricia Robinson said...

The last definition from your coworker seemed to grasp the idea of culture in a broad sense.