Coursework on Culture

Chapter 3

1. Make a list of the top five priorities in your life (for example, fame, wealth, family, spirituality, peace of mind, individuality, artistic expression). Compare your list with the priorities that appear to be valued in the culture in which you are currently living. (You can be as broad or as narrow as you like in define culture for this exercise, such as overall U.S. culture or the culture in your college or university.) Do your personal priorities align with the culture’s priorities? If not, how might this disparity affect your communication with other members of the culture?

My top five priorities are family, faith, happiness, hard work, and my education. I would say that my priorities are very similar to those of others at this college. If I were around people who have different priorities than me then it would make communicating difficult. Those who do not have faith as a top priority may not have the same idea of what is ethical in a situation. This would make working with this person difficult and uncomfortable. If family is not a priority that we have in common than this person might not be bothered by staying up late to do work and I would because I have a family waiting for me at home. If hard work is not a priority that we have in common than this person may think that slacking is acceptable where as I do not. We would not be in agreement which would cause tension between us. And some people are going to school and doing the bare minimum. D for diploma some students may say, I do not believe that is the case. You should take full advantage of your education and try to receive the best grade that you can. Not all students take full advantage of the educational opportunity. All these differences could cause the level of trust to be lower as well as the amount of openness between us, making communicating very difficult.

4. Review the definitions of the generations on page 73. Based on your year of birth, in which generation do you belong? Do you feel a part of this generation? Why or why not? If you were born outside of the United States, do the generational boundaries seem accurate to you? Now consider the biases you might have regarding other generations. For example, if you are a member of Generation Y, what do you think about the Baby Boomers and their willingness to embrace new ideas? Identify several of your generational biases that could create friction in the workplace. Summarize you responses to these questions in a post on your class blog or an email message to your instructor.

I belong in the Generation Y. I do feel included in this generation because of the technological savvy part of our generation. I feel like I know a lot more information on technology than my mother and father who are part of the Baby Boomer generation. When I think of the baby boomers I feel like this generation has a hard time trusting our generation and giving us a shot