Cultura, ¿QUÉ ES?

Essentially, culture is the way people act and react in their environment. This conversation directly correlates with one we had while reading The Scarlet Letter and while studying Transcendentalism. We discussed living inside out versus living from the outside in, how do we go about giving meaning to our lives. I would say culture is happiness, because every different type of people (wether it be ethnic groups, social groups such as the Gay/Lesbian community, religious groups and others) has a culture. However, we must ask ourselves, well WHY do different cultures exist?

I believe it is because we all have different opinions on what happiness means. Do you think of it as a Mercedes in your parking lot, or a Ph.D on your wall, or perhaps the fact that you helped better the lives of hundreds of people while on a missionary trip to Africa? It is all based on happiness, and once we find people who share similar views on what happiness means we have found our culture.

Every culture has different morals, beliefs, opinions, and ways of conducting life which is the direct effect of the myriad of definitions of happiness out there.

Example, I am Mexican. My mexican culture expects me to act one way or another. However, I have found that that culture, that idea of happiness is not who I am, which is why I am in search of another culture which shares the similar definition of happiness as me. Culture is not always about the color of the skin on your head, but more about what is under that skin, YOUR MIND!