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Racial Diversity in Our Community

	White alone, percent, 2010 (a)	69.3%	68.6%
	Black or African American alone, percent, 2010 (a)	0.9%	13.7%
	American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent, 2010 (a)	Z	0.3%
	Asian alone, percent, 2010 (a)	26.2%	8.3%
	Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent, 2010 (a)	0.0%	0.0%
	Two or More Races, percent, 2010	2.3%	2.7%
	Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2010 (b)	5.4%	17.7%
	White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2010	65.4%	59.3%

Source: US Census Bureau

Racial Diversity Across the U.S.

Credit: Randy Olson

Findings from Literature

Culture in the simplest sense is made up of only a few foundational elements: a common set of beliefs, values, customs, and language. These shared patterns that unite individuals, also distinguish each other from the wide variety of different cultures in the world. Culture can be seen in all types of societies—dystopian, the past, and the present—illustrating the prominent role it plays in the actions and thoughts of individuals whose perception alters in conjunction to the respective values. Regardless of our differences, culture defines our self-identity and dictates the values that we hold. Literature suggests through character perspectives and stylistic literary devices that identities do indeed drive from traits that are instilled by culture as well as one’s inert individuality.

In both Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, Offred and Winston are seen to change to perceive reality in a form that is the norm to the new, yet forcefully familiar culture. Culture is forced upon them and their self-perceptions are subject to change appropriately to suit the new values and beliefs that are enforced. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince Hamlet is also shown to be forced, as part of his duty, into his plan for revenge, indicating that a culture overrules one’s nature to follow the customs of his time period. Hamlet’s interpretation of his culture demonstrates how culture eventually makes history, as the traditions ingrained in the beliefs of the people allow them to repeat the mistakes and actions of others in the past. The Happiness Project, however, proves Offred, Winston and Hamlet wrong, as it shows Gretchen breaking out of the shell that society has entrapped her in, and taking charge of her thoughts and actions through self-evaluation. Literature thus seems to capture the sense of the struggling balance that many attempt to juggle between ingrained values and individuality. 

Introduction

In today’s society, it is important to note and understand how culture can affect us. Due to the differences in morals and beliefs among the world population, we should not be quick to judge individuals. It is human nature to automatically perceive individuals as one way or another by their appearances, religion, or held values. However, it is necessary to understand that the differences may be simply due to the influences culture has on us. Perhaps if we try to understand the differences as merely disparities among cultures, we can overcome the discriminatory challenges that face us in the world today.

Through this blog, I will attempt to share the wide variety of cultures in my surroundings and the different values we can learn from even the community we live in.