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Biculturalism is beneficial
There are occasions when one must live in a place that two cultures coexist with each other. Sometimes this can when individuals migrate to another country with a different culture. In some other cases, two individuals from two different cultures may live together in a foreign culture to both of them. This is defined as Biculturalism. In Bioculturalism, individuals have to wrestle with a lot of cultural shocks that hit them every day. In worse cases, the cultures could be so different band unique that each day, one may get embarrassed daily. This embarrassment comes when what is done should exactly be the opposite. It is also worth noting that biculturalism can also bring essential changes in an individual's life. In this paper, we shall discuss how Lilias’ cultural identity as a bicultural was beneficial to her.
As a result of blending two different cultures, the attitude of biculturals is more positive and healthy. While it may be thought that if an individual interacts with another culture, they are more likely to hate the other way of life contrary to their own, in most cases, it is not. This emanates from the fact that such individuals compare their culture to the strange one and see what is right about the new culture. Knowing that the other culture has some characteristics that are also good, the individuals tend to appreciate different cultures and consider them as an enhancement. For example, if one comes from a culture that does not keep time and begins to mingle with another that regards time management as a great virtue in social interaction, they will imitate the culture. This is not because their culture was worse, but because this one enhances productivity, and that way, it makes the individual happier. Lilia was a young lady that while interacting with a man from Pakistan at home and Americans at school, developed an attitude that appreciates the two contrasting ways of life.
Biculturalism improves the creativity of individuals. This happens because as the person adjusts in understanding a new culture, they see things in a new way. Creativity comes by having many views on a particular issue. When an individual relates to more cultures, they develop several opinions that provide more solutions . Each culture is unique in the training and experiences; this makes them rich with options. Looking into the same item, these individuals are more likely to come up with more uses than if they were not. The opinion that they come up with is informed by the clues that result from knowing how the cultures utilize the items. It is for this reason that bicultural persons are more innovative in the way they find solutions. I believe that is more people become biculturalism; our society will be affluent with creative people that provide unique solutions to the challenges that the world faces today. These individuals can view things from a different perspective and cohesively make them practical and applicable in specific cases.
The performance of those who practice biculturalism in the workplace is also higher than the rest. We live in a time when the world is so competitive, and therefore individuals who have high values are most needed. If a person integrates two or more cultures in their lifestyle, they most likely to be high performers. Each culture promotes some aspects of being highly productive. When these aspects are manifested, they become top performers, which result in promotions. It is only possible to achieve higher levels if different cultures enrich the nurture that one has. In cases that culture has taught one to be interactive and to retain good relationships with others, the individual will apply it at the workplace. Open communication and keeping customers are fundamental principles that, if the individual had learned in another culture, it would help grow the business and experience higher returns. Biculturals don’t need specialized training to understand how to apply beneficial behaviors at the workplace. They put initiate it naturally and get their rewards, including promotions, ay workplace. People of two cultures also develop a high reputation at work that enables them to attract promotion at the workplace.
There is high self-identity in biculturalism. Several people do not know who they are. These individuals are in an identity crisis. The worse experience that a person can have is living a long life without knowing who you indeed are. Not knowing oneself means that other people can influence an individual into doing what has no benefit to them. Understanding oneself within the context of your culture is highly significant. As one interacts with other cultures and integrates them into their own believes, they develop a robust personal consciousness and self-identity. This is improved since the individual has an experience of different cultural influence which helped them develop an informed way of looking at self. Biculturals have struggled to understand why they should respond to issues in different forms of life, and therefore when faced with a situation that they are to make a clear stand on what position they will stand, they make sound decisions. Those who aren't biculturals tend to be chameleon-like and can be swept by any wind of strong influence after making decisions that need decisiveness.
In cases that war has been the reason for being a biculturals, the view about conflict is transformational. If people are to be separated, war should be the last cause. However, war has been the most significant cause of family separation in the world. In several parts of the world, there are civil wars that are tearing families apart. Children are separated from their parents at very tender ages. The agony of family members parting ways as a result of war is traumatizing. To the individuals who successfully move to safer countries, they get a chance to look at war with a sight that calls for the urgent need for solutions. As they interact with a new culture that promotes peace, they embrace the spirit that calls for change in the countries they had come from that is split with violence. Lahiri illustrates how Mr. Pirzada, in the short story, influenced Lilia into sympathizing with his family that is living in a war-torn country. Lilia is praying for the family and wishes that his children were safe and happy too. This shows that Lilia living in American culture that is experiencing peace makes her want to things were equally better in Pakistan.
Biculturalisation helps in promoting peace within communities. Lilia was able to appreciate the way of life of Mr. Pirzada, who was not of his culture. In as much as cultures are different and can be a dividing factor in society, it can create a powerful bond too. It allows the person to get more information about other cultures and their way of life. In getting the information, they not only hear but also embrace and appreciate what is similar. The similarities in cultures enable people to connect and live in harmony while Lilia was in school while in the library, she found a book about Pakistan and found it relevant. Learning that Pakistan has high rainfall and abundant farm produce despite experiencing war made her relate to the country. In class, no one is teaching about the war in Pakistan, but when she goes back home, his household follows the events closely. The two different way of life makes her begin to contemplate more on how things could be better for those experiencing war. In this context, Lilia had developed a habit that wished for peace for everyone. This clearly shows that biculturalism was beneficial to the little girl.
Biculturals are more interactive than those who are of a single culture. As individuals who come from an environment where they interact with different cultures, tend to be more flexible when it comes to connecting with people. These individuals are interactive because they have embraced more cultural behaviors and therefore are less likely to be bared by fear of cultural shock. A person that comes from China that lives in the USA after learning about the lifestyle of people in the USA will easily interact with other foreign citizens as well as fellow Chinese and the Americans too. With time Lilia was able to freely interact with Mr. Pirzada just as much as she was able to work on a project with members of her class. Bicultural is a way of life in which a person can enrich their life by being free to interact with everyone without fear of being judged wrongly. This way of reaching out to people leads to strong bonding with persons belonging to other cultures.
In conclusion, biculturalism is beneficial and enriching. We can live in a better world if more people are biculturals. This way of life, as discussed above, connects people and brings understanding among different cultures. Each culture is enriched with values that id applied results in highly productive individuals. The values help biculturals to see things in a different way that provide solutions to the challenges that a community might be facing.
Work Cited
Michelle_Michy
BiculturalismisBeneficial.edited.docx
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