How Should One Define The American Identity - 1642 Words

How should one define the American Identity? The American Identity should be defined as multicultural individuals who commit to similar common values, ideas, beliefs, and personal freedom rather than being defined by race, ethnic identity, and religion. Our common values, ideas, and beliefs depend on the core structure of the American government: the Constitution, which provides freedom, equality, and independence. Since America is very diverse due to the constant flow of immigrants from all over the world, there is no such thing as being a pure American. Everyone’s background lies somewhere else. Therefore, our identity would be defined by our common ideology and common values instead of our ethnicity and religion. Our common values and ideologies are largely influenced by mass communication through the media and popular culture. With the rise of globalization and youth culture, popular culture has been the largest influence on an American identity through sports, television, and social media. Because of the constant need of entertainment in society provided through pop culture, the American people are brainwashed by pop culture. They have forgotten their common values and core ideas that created the American identity. Sports are played and viewed on the television by individuals from every social class, however, the general population is mostly accountable for the tremendous popularity of sports. People from all over the world watch popular social events, such as theShow MoreRelatedAmeric Home Of The Free?1491 Words   |  6 Pagescultural and ethnic identities. In the essay about bilingualism â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue† by Gloria Anzaldà ºa she writes, â€Å"So, if you want to really hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity - I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself† (172). Anzaldà ºa believes that her ethnicity and language are what make her who she is. Therefore, by insulting her language, she is insulted as well. Her identity is â€Å"twin skin†Read MoreEssay on Fight Club and Our Consumer Identity1405 Words   |  6 PagesFight Club and Our Consumer Identity The narrator in the film Fight Club is questioned about his devastated condo and declares, That condo was my life, okay? I loved every stick of furniture in that place. That was not just a bunch of stuff that got destroyed, that was me! This attitude of defining self-identity through a consumer culture has become institutionalized in the American society. The film Fight Club addresses the excessive consumerism as a sign of emotional emptiness and as aRead MoreGran Torino: Challenging Stereotypes Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pageswith each other during the entire film. The Hmong culture have been stereotyped by the western culture concerning that the American way is the only way which evidently challenges the ideas and ideologies of the Hmong society. the film illustrates the idea of realism but underlines the factor that cultures outside of America should obtain the manners and ideas of an American to survive in society. there is clear indication that classical Hollywood narrative, mi s en scene and cinematography style canRead MoreNative American Voices By Susan Lobo1040 Words   |  5 PagesIdentity is a complicated and unclear concept that has no one definition. Nonetheless, identity plays a key role in the formation of our â€Å"true† selves. Identity is free formed, ever-changing and wildly different to diverse people. Making sense of oneself- who one is, was and may become, is the basic component of identity. When defining one s identity there is no singular place to start. Identities are wide varieties of traits, characteristics, social roles and relationships that define who we areRead More What an American Is Essays976 Words   |  4 PagesWhat an American Is Webster?s Dictionary defines American as or its inhabitants. But is that all America and an American truly is? Is a person American simply because of geography? According to Identities, ?America is a confluence of cultures.? Americans are people whose lives depict men and women who are trying to be as successful and robust as possible, this quest is symbolic to citizens of many other countries. This is why America illustrates the Statue of Liberty, a structure thatRead MoreHawaii And The Mixing Of Peoples By Steve Olson Essay1108 Words   |  5 Pageswith the same type of flesh and bones. How do we distinguish ourselves from each other? Well, we have many ways of telling one from another and one way we use is using culture. The difference between other culture is it ideas and moral values. Culture plays an important role in many people lives. Although being part of a multi-cultural society helps understands one’s self and it also helps understand one another cultural vie w of our world. Many people identity are also created by our belief. My ethnicityRead MoreThe Choice: Ethnic Identity1020 Words   |  5 Pagesand soon adopted by an American couple. The couple then raises the boy in their home as their own. He grows up in a suburban neighborhood, learns English, attends public school, lives within an entirely American culture, and embraces it. He is aware that he comes from a different familial background and is of a different nationality than his parents, but he has made the choice to identify himself with the ethnicity that he has grown to love. He believes that his ethnic identity entirely up to him. ARead MoreThe Declaration of Independence: Americas Foundation Essay example1229 Words   |  5 PagesIndependence being a legal document has been up for debate in courts for many years now. Although, the Declaration of Independence clarifies the United States identity as a free nation, it has generated intense controversy. Some feel strongly that it did not clearly define the new powers that the thirteen colonies would acquire and did not define the identity of the United States; while, others firmly believe that without the Declaration of Independence the United States would not be the free nation that itRead MoreWomen And The Feminist Movement1677 Words   |  7 Pagesdeclares that women experience gender in one way (Butler 520). From this emerges a war that isolates woman in the effort to define what it is to be a woman. To begin with, Susan Carby describes how history subjects Black women to hypersexual stereotypes and denies white women their sexuality. Koshy proceeds to describe how American society fetishizes Asian-American women. In considering these stereotypes, femininity coincides with sexuality and exemplifies how women from different backgrounds have separateRead MoreThe Yellow Wall Paper, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman, And Lysistrata967 Words   |  4 PagesPeople should be entitled to their own identity since everybody if unique in so many ways. In the literature we have read during this course people and women specifically are defined. These can be metaphors used to describe the women or ho others view these women. Sometimes they do not define themselves and are defined by the people around them; based on their looks or stereotypes that may not represent who they are. Women are defined by others and themselves in many ways such as seen in, â€Å"Borders†