Article response - Book Report/Review Example

Module Article Response Jhumpa Lahiri: My Hyphenated Identity The tackles a that many are often afraid to discuss: individual and cultural identity. I am impressed by her confession that she used to be out of touch with her Indian side until her parents’ resolve to indoctrinate her in her heritage won her over. Like Jahiri, millions of people go through identity crises at some stage of their lives. According to Anheier (24), in this age of globalization, it is not strange to meet individuals who have lived in up to five different countries and interacted with numerous cultures, so much so that they consider themselves to be ‘citizens of the world’.

However, like the author indicates, an individual’s original roots never truly disappear, and it is the responsibility of parents and society at large to ensure that children remain true to their heritage. Immigration to another country does not and should not equate to abandoning one’s origins. The author shows that in today’s world, in which parents are too busy to raise children the right way, they are still the biggest determinants of children’s identity. I would have preferred the author to discuss her children a lot more so that she provides an overview of her role in the development of their identity.

Perhaps she would have shown how she is continuing her parents’ work by instilling in her children an appreciation of their Indian roots and an ability to tolerate different cultures but stay true to their own. This would show how three generations have managed to preserve their heritage in a highly dynamic cultural world.Blue-Collar Roots, White Collar Dreams This article is one that millions of people can relate to because it touches on aspects that majority identify with. Lubano’s blue-collar roots are not only dissected in this article, they are also validated and justified.

It is commendable how he manages to distinguish people with blue-collar roots, the so-called working class citizens, from other classes. From this article, one can see that majority of people around the world are from blue-collar backgrounds (Anheier 37). In addition, the author makes it very clear that working class families are the drivers of economies the custodians of values and culture. However, there are still questions that need to be asked of the different classes. Some people tend to forget their working class roots once they have graduated to the middle and upper classes.

They discard their values for the trappings of superior classes that their industry and ethos have allowed them to enjoy. Amidst all this, I would have loved for the author to recognize that despite blue-collar families taking the most credit for raising societies with strong values and ideals, it is unfair to label, in whichever way, white-collar families as undeserving of acknowledgment for their role in the society (Anheier 29). There are white-collar families and individuals from white-collar backgrounds who have and exhibit stronger values than those from working class families.

This is more to do with choice rather than circumstances. In today’s fast-paced cultural and working environments, classes must be seen as temporary tags that anybody can shed off by displaying the humanity inherent in all of us. Work CitedAnheier, Helmut K. Cities, Cultural Policy and Governance. London: SAGE, 2012. Print.