What are you?

What are you?

Who we are and what people expect from us has already been determined before we are even born. With our parents, grandparents and even great grandparents being the reason for it. Culture is a big part of everyone’s way of being. We grow up surrounded in it and believe that its whats normal. Although culture doesn't completely define who we later grow to become it does play a significant role as we grow up and view the world. Different cultural views on things are the reason why certain stereotypes are made. For example Asian’s are good at math, this is because the Asian culture puts such importance on education that they study, becoming good at math. Stereotyping leads to categorizing which really puts people in shallow boxes of who is who. But what happens later when mixing and interacting with other cultures? What should happen when ones ideas of where they belong is blurred? Still identifying as what their parents and great grandparent were doesn't accurately define them, but changing their identification is far from acceptable . So when asked "what are you?" how should 1st generation Americans answer it? Personally being one of them i never shy away from my culture quickly replying Mexican but many of my views and ways of being don't reflect the Mexican culture at all. Being called "one of the whites acting Mexican they know" is a phrase many of my cousins and more cultured centered friends refer to me as but calling my self a Latin American would be far from acceptable in my home. So next time when someone ask what you are, remember that its not what you grew up surrounded in but rather what culture you surrounded and identify yourself in.  





http://www.mtv.com/news/1957694/raven-symone-african-american-black-oprah/
-above is a link which represent how people react when not identifying with the culture which they have been born into.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=511570
-above is people talking about how they feel they dont belong to their own culture.