Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

After talking with family members, colleagues, and friends about culture and diversity, I can say that I have an even better understanding of both topics through the eyes of others. I was able to speak to a person that is a different gender, another that is a different age, one that is a different ethnicity, and another that is a different age, gender and race. Most of the people spoke about beliefs and interests in regard to culture, and they recognize differences in people as being a big part of diversity. We have spoken about culture and diversity in this course and some aspects were included in the answers that I received from others. Almost all talked about culture and referenced having similar beliefs, interests, or values. Some of these similarities may be religious or even from family life. When talking about diversity, some talked about differences between others such as religion, race, and ethnicity. Diversity to others means bringing together different backgrounds despite differences.

One area that one person talked about in reference to diversity that we have not touched on too much in this course is disabilities. Having a disability is one way that sets them apart from others whether it is known or not the person with that disability feels different from others. While most talked about traditions, one talked about neighbors when explaining culture. This shows me how much others, not just family, can influence you and your beliefs. One person spoke about being respectful of the history and purpose of different cultures.

Thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity has influenced my own thinking about these topics as they have given me even more insight. I think now that I have had these conversations I recognize even more the importance of being respectful of other cultures and embracing diversity.