In the chapter, “What Does It Mean to Be Human,” from the book, Ten Questions, Joel Charon describes the characteristics that define human beings and make them different from other species. Namely, human beings are defined by our social and cultural nature. (32) According to Charon, being social is essential to our survival because our identity is dependent on how we socialize with others. Charon defines socialization as the “the process by which the various representatives of societyㄧparents, teachers, political leaders, religious leaders, the news mediaㄧteach people the ways of society and, in so doing form their basics qualities”(34). What is more, our socialization and social life is dependent on our culture, while our culture shapes our
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I, along with the majority of everyday Americans may claim to have a personal style that is reflected through their fashion choice. When describing how I like to dress, I say that I like wearing pinks and different shades of coral. Every now and then I like to wear all black. I like floral prints, animal prints and stripes. I’m a fan of cardigans, and enjoy wearing ripped jeans occasionally. I enjoy getting dressed up for fancy events. I feel uncomfortable in crop tops that are cropped too much and skirts/shorts that or too short. While I never think too hard when shopping at the mall, it is quite apparent to me that my fashion choices are not actually so personal to me. In fact, the items in my closet can be described as more or less “feminine.” I dress the way I do because it feels comfortable to me. However, this comfort stems from the images of femininity that I’ve seen on both television and also from the women that I have been surrounded by since a young age. While the way I dress is a product of the social construction of gender, it is also a product of the religious beliefs and values held by my parents that have been passed on to me. I know my parents would disapprove of a crop top that revealed a lot and a skirt that was really short and because this is what they have told me growing up, and my clothing choices also reflect this sometimes. This just goes to show how, the parts of ourselves that we consider to be the most personal to us are actually part of a much bigger
I, along with the majority of everyday Americans may claim to have a personal style that is reflected through their fashion choice. When describing how I like to dress, I say that I like wearing pinks and different shades of coral. Every now and then I like to wear all black. I like floral prints, animal prints and stripes. I’m a fan of cardigans, and enjoy wearing ripped jeans occasionally. I enjoy getting dressed up for fancy events. I feel uncomfortable in crop tops that are cropped too much and skirts/shorts that or too short. While I never think too hard when shopping at the mall, it is quite apparent to me that my fashion choices are not actually so personal to me. In fact, the items in my closet can be described as more or less “feminine.” I dress the way I do because it feels comfortable to me. However, this comfort stems from the images of femininity that I’ve seen on both television and also from the women that I have been surrounded by since a young age. While the way I dress is a product of the social construction of gender, it is also a product of the religious beliefs and values held by my parents that have been passed on to me. I know my parents would disapprove of a crop top that revealed a lot and a skirt that was really short and because this is what they have told me growing up, and my clothing choices also reflect this sometimes. This just goes to show how, the parts of ourselves that we consider to be the most personal to us are actually part of a much bigger