Cultural Identity

Improved Essays
Everyone comes from somewhere.We all have a past and stories to tell, but none of us are the same. So what is it that makes us individuals? What has the biggest affect on one’s cultural identity? I believe one’s cultural identity isn’t defined by one defining moment, but by every moment lived. I am Dutch, German, and Irish but that only stereotypes me. I am Christian faith, Lutheran denomination, but that only categorizes me. What truly makes an individual who they are is what they strive to do, and what we strive to follow. What truly affects one’s personality is who they want to be and who they want to become. For me that is art and my religion. John F. Kennedy once said, “If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the …show more content…
Values are crucial aspects of one’s personality that grow more and more prominent in their culture over time. Throughout everyone’s lifetime we grow fond to pieces and fragments of what the world has to offer. These pieces eventually become a part of our cultures and we begin to identify with these pieces making them our values. So, essentially values are the things we respect and identify with. As humans, we all have developed our own values throughout our lives that help individualize us. These pieces and fragments are introduced to us from multiple places and they influence our day to day decisions and thoughts. For me, I value and identify with art in my day to day life. Art has been apart of my life even before I could walk. I use to flip through the thick pages of baby books staring at the colors and details of every page. The aspects of art intrigued me as a child and it still does to this day. Art has most definitely formed who I am today and it will form who I will be every day for the rest of my life. Without art and my ability to be creative I would feel empty and pointless. Art is my comfort and it allows me to feel at peace. Art is what makes my life enjoyable and it allows me to slow things down and enjoy the things around me. Art is what pushes me forward and it allows me to get better at everything I do. Art keeps me social and it allows me to stay interested in my life. Art is my biggest value …show more content…
Christianity is seen by society as a group of people who follow the Son of God (Jesus) and God’s word (the Bible). While that statement is true, it barely chips the surface when it comes to the complexity of the views and teaching of God. Also that societal view doesn’t even mention the personal connection and meaning religion has on an individual. Christianity is huge in my family and very important to me. My father when he was in college had a epiphany and realized he was living his life with no direction. He realized that life was pointless if he didn’t have a set of standards and morals to live by. So he soon became interested in the christian faith and switched careers to become a pastor. I have been raised according to that epiphany and it has largely impacted my culture and my decision making. It gave me a set of morals to follow and a good understanding of right from wrong. But for the past couple of years I have begun to individualize my relationship with Christ. Over the past few years I have developed my own understanding of christianity. To me christianity is a set of morals that I as a christian should follow. Christianity also teaches me to lead others in the way of God. Lastly, christianity teaches me to have faith in God and see the beauty in the gift He has given me.The same beauty I see because of my artistic abilities that God has blessed me with. I believe that everything good that comes my

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