Traditional and Non Traditional
Culture
Culture is a set
of attitudes, behaviors, and symbols shared by a large group of people and
usually communicated from one generation to the next. Attitudes include beliefs (political,
ideological, religious, moral, etc.), values, general knowledge (empirical and
theoretical), opinions, superstitions, and stereotypes. Behaviors include a
wide variety of norms, roles, customs, traditions, habits, practices, and
fashions. Symbols represent things or ideas, the meaning of which is bestowed
on them by people (Shiraev & Levy, 2010).
India Beliefs Compared to United States
It is the source of numerous world religions, and
you'll run into every last one of them in great measure. Individuals from
different religions – Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain make
up India and every neighborhood loans its uncommon mark of society to the
nation. India will hit you with its sheer size, its cornucopia of social
holidays, its showy celebrations and the rave of its commercial centers (The
Library of Congress Country Studies, n.d.)
Inside India, on a regular premise, the majority of
individuals participate in custom movements that are persuaded by religious
frameworks that owe much to the past however are persistently developing.
Religion, then, is a standout amongst the most imperative features of Indian
history and contemporary life (The Library of Congress Country Studies, n.d.)
The United
States of America is the most religious and most religiously different of all
Western industrialized countries. American political and social history are
incomprehensible without references to its religious history, so persuasive
have religious bunches and belief system been throughout the hundreds of years.
Especially fascinating is the way that their religious differences and
religious dedication is improved by the customary partition of church and state
- something which preservationist religious gathers look to undermine (American Religion: Religious Groups,
History, Beliefs in America, n.d.)
Politic issues in India happens inside the system of
an elected Westminster-style Parliamentary majority rule sacred republic, in
which the President of India is head of state and the Prime Minister of India
is the head of government. India is as a
country has been labeled as a sovereign communist common equitable republic. As
the United States, India has had an elected type of government since it
embraced its constitution. On the other hand, the focal government in India has
more terrific power in connection to its states, and its focal government is designed
after the British parliamentary framework (Ask.com, n.d.).
India Values Compared to United States
Socioeconomic factors can affect
the variety of values and expectations from culture to culture (Shiraev &
Levy, 2010). The United States and India
share some similarities as well as differences in their values and expectations
of marriage, family, and religion. The
United States is considered a nontraditional culture while India is considered
a traditional culture.
Marriage
is a treasure in both the American and Indian culture. Nonetheless, American beliefs on marriage are
romantic love. This belief discloses
that all of us have a soul mate. When
that soul mate is found the result will be a relationship of wedded bliss until
they are parted by death. Indian nuptial
relations seem to materialize more as a result of a purposeful decisive
factor. Without hesitation, Indian marriages
are established on the responsibility to the family rather than an individual
ambition toward closeness and a shared foundation (Sastry, 2009). In the Indian
culture, the majority of marriages are established based upon age, religion,
education, and socioeconomic rank (Sastry, 2009). In American culture, most marriages are represented
by a large degree of closeness and passionate relations, which is more of
individualistic values. In Indian
marriages, noble servitude is respected and added contentment and personal
comfort is inferior to other family ties, which is more of collectivist
values. According to Lasallian Education
(2013), Americans are famous for a controlling sense of individualism. For the most part American’s chief regard is in
the idea of following one’s own path in life, rather than to the concern and
devotion of the family and community reminiscent of the Indian culture. This may appear as self-interest to different
cultures.
There
are numerous ethnic and religious groups in the Indian culture. Some ethnic and religious groups consist of
Islamic, Buddhist, Jainism, and Christian groups as well as tribes and castes
(Advameg, Inc., 2013). Nearly all
religious groups trust in the afterlife with the exception of the Hindu
faith. Similar to the Indian Culture,
American culture is composed of a diversity of religious groups as well. Christians, Roman Catholics, and Judaism are
among some of the prevalent religious groups (USAOnline, 2013). Conversely, a huge sum of Americans do not
have a religious position of compassion and are deemed nonreligious, secular,
or atheists; implying that they do not believe in God. Even though the traditional culture of India
is similar to the nontraditional culture of the United States, they are
extremely diverse cultures in relation to values and expectations.
India Behaviors Compared to United States
The behaviors found in India are consistent with the
beliefs and values found within the country. In India, women are looked at as
important and treated as such. Women walk behind men for protection, are the
ruler of the home life, and wear red dots as a symbol of marriage (Sengupta,
2008). Most marriages are arranged based on social status. Divorce is rare as
the belief in India is that marriage is eternal. The behavior of addressing
each other in India is also rooted in their values. The calling of one by first
name is reserved for friends or siblings of similar age. Elders are also
respected by Indians. Examples include refraining from calling an elder by
first name, not remaining sitting when an elder enters a room, and refraining
from smoking and drinking in front of elders. Other behaviors such as eating
and meditation are linked to the Indian beliefs and values found in religion.
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism are popular religions in India. Due to the
beliefs of these religions, many are vegetarians. Indians also practice
meditation and yoga as a holistic practice. In India, privacy is not regarded
as important. Income and health matters are public and parents are allowed to
speak of such matters about their adult children without permission. Crime is
low in India and few carry guns. Personal hygiene behaviors in India are also
different than in the United States. Products such as toilet paper,
handkerchiefs, and paper tissue are not customary; instead water is used in
private (Sengupta, 2008). People in India live within their means which
includes the bartering of services if money is not available.
These behaviors are different than those typically
found in the modern United States. Marriage in the United States is typically
for love and rarely arranged. Divorce has also become a common behavior in the
United States. The behavior of calling one by their first name is common across
all generations. While respecting elders is found in the United States, it is
expected in India. Vegetarianism is found in the United States most commonly
because of personal beliefs rather than cultural beliefs. In the United States,
privacy is expected in regards to personal matters. Violence is increasing and
gun ownership is more common than in India. Where the behaviors of India are
rooted in cultural beliefs and values, the behaviors of the United States are
more commonly rooted in personal beliefs and values.
Conclusion
Using the idea of critical thinking in evaluating and
analyzing the cultures of India and the United States has revealed considerable
distinctions as well as likenesses in the two cultures among values, beliefs,
and behaviors. In several cases the
similarities and dissimilarities differ, depending on the area in the United
States. Different areas of the United
States partake in and value diverse ideologies than other areas in contrast to
the Indian culture that in general differ rather on their spiritual viewpoint than
their location. In addition, the United States consists of
various cultures that have been acquired and combined into American culture. In conclusion, the traditional culture of
India and the nontraditional culture of the United States was analyzed and
compared to explain the differences among their values, beliefs, and behaviors.
References
Advameg, Inc. (2013). Countries and their
cultures: Cultures of India. Retrieved from
http://www.everyculture.com/ge-it/india.html.
American Religion: Religious Groups,
History, Beliefs in America. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://atheism.about.com/od/religioninamerica/American_Religion_Religious_Groups_History_Beliefs_in_America.htm
Lasallian
Education (2013). Culture of the United States. Retrieved
from https://www.lewisu.edu/studentservices/iss/usaculture.htm.
Sastry,
J. (2009). Household structure, satisfaction, and distress in India and
the United States: A Comparative Cultural Examination. Journal
of Comparative Family Studies, 30(1), 135-152.
Sengupta, A. N. (2008, March 06).
Cultural Differences between America and India. Retrieved from
http://www.now2gether.org/index.htm
Shiraev,
E. & Levy, D. (2010). Cross-Cultural Psychology: Critical
thinking and contemporary application (4th ed.). Boston:
Pearson/Allyn Bacon.
The Library of Congress Country
Studies. (n.d.). Religions of India. Retrieved from
http://www.photius.com/religion/india_religious_life.html
USAOnline
(2013). Religion in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.theusaonline.com/people/religious.htm.
ask.com. (n.d.). Politics Of India.
Retrieved from http://www.ask.com/wiki/Politics_of_India
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