Society & Culture in the US

In Toni Morison’s novel “The bluest eye” we find a genuine description of American culture of 1940s and the process of cultural changes. In the 1920s when radio was first catching on, the idea of a popular culture was somewhat different than what we have today. Evolving over the next 30 years or so, it reached a peak where it could begin to overtake and become an integral part of other cultures, much like the Hollywood of the 1930s quickly grew to encompass the rest of the world and inform their pop culture. Thus began the final and full assimilation of Japanese pop culture into American.

From our observations of American tourists and some expatriates here in Mexico, they act as if the Mexican people are ignorant savages that should be thankful the Americans come and throw money into their economy. With Mexican-American relationships deteriorating at an exponential rate, what gets to me is the total lack of perception or unwillingness on the behalf of the American people to perceive their responsibility in this deterioration.

As an American, I am often jealous of Europeans who pick up languages like you'd pick up a bottle of milk at the store. Since Native American peoples had no concept of land ownership, the European invaders considered the land to be up for grabs. Another land issue that caused conflict within the Native American peoples was the policy of removing Indians from their traditional homelands onto reservations.

In talking with an elementary school principal, she shared with me that the single most contributing factor to the decline in academic achievement is the lack of values within society. An early effort to broaden the base of education was made by the Franciscans in Mexico with the support of Viceroy Mendoza.

If one was to go shopping at a local card store, there is an array of products that support ageism or the dis valuing of those who are considered biologically and culturally old. Is growing older a social and cultural perception? One which affects those who grow old to a negative or positive degree, depending upon what culture they are naturally acculturated? I believe growing old is in fact largely social and cultural, not just biological; it is a matter of perception, and in America a negative one. Remember when you're traveling in Europe that rudeness is largely a cultural perception.

In architecture, Spanish America made best use of its cultural heritage. The effectiveness of the Spanish American universities was uneven: some had periods of distinction; others were never more than mediocre training schools for priests; still others were little more than secondary schools.

Although African Americans were taxpayers like other residents of Orlando, they did not have access to recreational facilities, good schools, police protection, health care and other services that were provided to white citizens. Many of these canvases were brought from Spain, and an obliging sacristan is always ready to tell the visitor that this is an authentic Murillo, that a Titian, the other a Zurbaran. Perhaps we need a new term to describe the North American Sauna Culture.