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Soc 5025 usa cultural values
The document discusses US cultural values and universals. It outlines the goals of understanding US value clusters and contradictions, examining subcultures and how they relate to core values. Ten core US values are identified by Robin Williams: achievement, individualism, hard work, efficiency, science/technology, material comfort, freedom, democracy, equality, and group superiority. The document explores emerging values, value contradictions, cultural lag and change, and whether cultural universals truly exist. Students are assigned to write a narrative examining how their personal values were shaped by culture and how they fit with discussed US values.
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Soc 5025 usa cultural values
- 1. USA cultural valuesand cultural universals Jessica McLuckie Appalachian State University SOC 5025-376
- 2. Understand U.S.Values – clusters and contradictions Learn about subcultures and how they fit (or don’t!) Think about cultural universals – what can we ALL agree on? Examine cultural change and lag Discover where you “fit” in your culture Goals for Today
- 3. The US isa pluralistic society Here are some different groups that make up the US: Religious Racial-ethnic Political Interest On your index card, write down which groups you identify with from the list!
- 4. But isn’t theremore to you than that? What other groups do you identify with? Music Clothing Mascot Hobby What else?
- 5. Robin Williams (not*that* Robin Wiliams) identified 10 core values: Achievement & Success Individualism Hard Work Efficiency & Practicality Science & Technology Material Comfort Freedom Democracy Equality Group Superiority
- 6. What else? Education Religiosity Romantic Love
- 7. Value Clusters Seehandout for group learning activity
- 8. Emerging Value Clusters Leisure Self-fulfillment Physical fitness Youthfulness Concern for the environment
- 9. Value Contradictions GroupSuperiority – I WIN! = someone else loses – No equality for you!
- 10. Let’s talk aboutsubcultures
- 11. What about inyour world?
- 12. When Values Clash We believe in equality Same-sex marriage? Wait, that offends my religious beliefs! You’re infringing upon my value system! But you believe in equality – same-sex couples want the same privilege to marry… CONFLICT!
- 13.
- 14. Do Cultural UniversalsExist? The short answer? No. Singing Marriage Funerals There are customs we all perform, but they are all done differently!
- 15. Cultural Lag &Change “not all cultures change at the same pace” (Henson, 2010, p. 63)
- 16. Let’s welcome CulturalDiffusion “groups are most open to changes in their technology or material culture” (Henson, 2010, p. 63).
- 17. Final Thoughts…and Assignment Today you have explored U.S. values. You have discovered your similarities as well as conflicts with these values and the people who hold them. You have looked at cultural universals – where do YOUR cultural values fit in? FINAL THOUGHTS: To wrap up this chapter, please prepare a thoughtful 1-2 page narrative on how your personal values were shaped by your culture. Examine how those values fit in (or don’t!) with the U.S. values discussed today.
Editor's Notes
- #2 Welcome! Today we are going to take a look at both USA cultural values as well as cultural universals. In preparation, please grab some index cards in order to follow along – this is an active learning presentation!
- #3 Before we begin, let me explain what our goals for today are: In our discussion today, I will be presenting U.S. values. We are going to discover we have much more in common than perhaps you initially thought. However, you’re also going to realize there are some interesting contradictions even within the values we claim to hold. Conflict is inevitable, but it’s purpose here is for discussion and greater understanding. This is not a pulpit to convert anyone, merely a means of developing a larger world-view. Subcultures are fascinating! We will look at some specific subcultures here in the U.S., but be prepared to examine your own preferences and choices to see what you identify with. Some subcultures will seem so far removed from your lifestyle you may find them bizarre or distasteful, but let’s remain objective. We will broaden our discussion from the U.S. to cultural universals. If you’re looking for something we can globally agree upon, *SPOILER ALERT* you’re going to be disappointed. Since we all move through the world at difference paces while time inevitably moves forward (in some cases, pushed forward by that conflict I mentioned earlier) we will examine the cultural lag that occurs and how that affects our values. Throughout, I want you to discover where you “fit” in the grand scheme of your culture. We will be evaluating this throughout the presentation, so stay alert!
- #4 When we say “pluralistic,” we mean “a society made up of many different groups” (Henslin, 2010, p. 55). Just from the examples listed, I guarantee this class falls into different groups, but each of those groups will be comprised of different students. FIRST ACTIVITY: You have written 4 pieces of information on your index card: Your religion (I realize atheism and Buddhism are not religions by definition, but play along, please); your racial-ethnic identity, your political preference, and one of your interests. (This next part may be challenging, but I want you to push outside your comfort zone) First, form groups according to your religion. Look at the people in your group; would you have immediately identified each other as fellow members of your faith? Do you see some people in other groups that you assumed would be in yours? Ok, now I want you to group up according to your ethnic group. You’re not hanging out with all the same people anymore, are you? Also, the U.S. is a melting pot. For example, my mother is Cherokee but my father is straight-off-the-boat Irish. My best friend’s mother is from Poland and her father is from Algeria (they met at an exchange program in Chicago). I’m sure many of you have similar stories; the ethnic group whose cultural values you were raised with may not always be that easy for others to identify. We’re going to mix it up again. This time, please group yourself by political preference. Look around your group: Do you notice now how people from different religions and ethnic groups share your political beliefs? Clearly, despite your differences, you have some underlying values that match up. Now, I don’t expect we will have as many large groups when it comes to interests, but let’s explore. Have you formed groups? Are there some students standing alone? I’m going to ask one of you standing alone to share your interest with the class. Let’s say that interest is photography. Everyone else, if you share that interest, go stand with the brave student willing to expose their interest with the group. If that’s not your scene but you think it’s cool or interesting, form a group about a foot away. Notice how our groups shifted and changed? Why did I ask you to do this? Was it just to insure you didn’t fall asleep while a power point was on the screen? (Partly.) The way our groups shifted and changed is a microcosm example of the pluralistic society found in the U.S. I asked you to share your personal values with a group of semi-strangers, and more importantly, I asked that we all get along and treat each other respectfully. I think we were more successful in our microcosm than at the national level, but I would ask that each of you apply this lesson when you leave this classroom and go out in the world.
- #5 In case the embedded video won’t play, here is the direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYyxl0c6sw On the other side of your index card, write down some specific groups you identify with on the left-hand side. I listed some examples on the screen, but feel free to add more. Now, on the right side, list the group you parent/parents/adult who raised you would choose. It should look something like this: Heavy Metal music Classic rock Thrift store clothing Belk. Everything from Belk Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins Writing/Writers Gardening/Master Gardeners Librarian profession K-4 Teacher profession Etc. From this, you can see how the person who had the most direct influence on your development may still identify with different groups than you do. How does that happen? And if you don’t share the exact same values/identify with the same groups as your parent/parents/adult who raised you, can we safely assume that the people you meet who seem different will not be carbon copies of the people/groups who raised them?
- #6 According to Robin Williams (1965) MOST groups in the U.S. share these core values (p. 55, 58). For now, organize these values according to YOUR value system. If you feel some of these overlap, don’t worry, there are no right or wrong answers! We’ll be evaluating these further.
- #7 Our textbook includes these additional values. Work them into your list from the previous slide.
- #8 Take 8-10 minutes to complete the Learning Activity 1 handout.
- #9 According to Henslin (2010) these are some emerging values we’re seeing in the U.S. as “a response to fundamental changes in U.S. culture” (p. 59). How do these fit in with your learning activity?
- #10 You’ve already noted some value contradictions between your values and the values of the people who raised you, so you understand that value contradictions exist. Now let’s examine the contradictions in Williams’ list. (You will also see this developing in your learning activity.) The photos above give a very clear summary of how group superiority conflicts with equality. What about the conflict between democracy (majority rule) and freedom? The law states that polygamy is illegal, but what about religious faiths that allow/encourage multiple spouses? Are they not free to practice according to their beliefs? Can you identify other contradictions? As you can see, value contradictions raise more questions than they answer.
- #11 In case the embedded video won’t play, here is the direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRteokw7m80
- #12 Obviously, we’ve all successfully made it through high school and those subcultures may not be as applicable to your life anymore, but they DO exist. Here is a key to some other subcultures found in the U.S.: Scene kid culture Beauty Pageant culture Hunting culture Surfing culture Carnie culture Mormon culture Juggalo culture Vaping culture Take 8-10 minutes to complete the Learning Activity 2 handout.
- #13 From your subculture learning activity, you have formed some idea about the groups you identify with and the groups you have nothing in common with at all. Maybe you found some of them to be in such opposition to your own values that they seem threatening. How would you react if someone from that group attempted to pass legislation to formally “recognize” their values on the national stage?
- #14 As college students, I’m sure you can all identify to some degree with the image above. There is the ideal culture, “the values, norms, and goals that a group considers ideal, worth aiming for” (Henslin, 2010, p. 60). However, from our own experiences we understand that real culture consists of “the norms and values that people actually follow” (Henslin, 2010, p. 61).
- #15 In the midst of all this contradiction and pluralism, can we all agree to at least ONE thing we all do the same?! Well, no, not exactly. The examples mentioned in your text of human activities (preparing food, singing, raising children, storytelling, etc.) (p. 61) we all go about it in different ways.
- #16 We can thank William Ogburn (1922/1938) for the term cultural lag. Basically, “not all parts of a culture change at the same pace. When one part of a culture changes, other parts lag behind” (Henslin, 2010, p. 63). Raise your hand if you are comfortable using email. Now, keep your hand up if your mother/grandmother is comfortable using email. Notice there are fewer hands raised. Technology is an easy target when identifying cultural lag, and it’s certainly relevant in today’s discussion of cultural changes. What other examples can you think of? For example: My grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother all grew up on a reservation. When my grandmother moved to a big city, she felt isolated. Her children (my mother, aunts and uncle) on the other hand adapted quickly: Color TV! Malls! Fast food! So how do we adapt to lag and change?
- #17 Change may not come quickly, but when it does, you can believe that the impetus was something material. The examples above illustrate this idea: Changes in concepts of modesty. In the 1920s women were daring to show bare legs on the beach. Today women wear bathing suits as much for style as they do for swimming purposes, and the options for women bare much more than just leg. Or, compare a show like “I Love Lucy” to “Orange is the New Black.” If you ask someone from an older generation about their concept of modesty, but then ask what shows they enjoy on TV, you’ll notice a disparity between their ideal values and real values. They may not even be aware of it! That’s how cultural diffusion works in a nutshell.
- #18 Thank you for your time. References can be found on the References Handout attached. Please feel free to use any or all of this presentation. Your feedback is welcome.