Culture experience growing up in the Philippines and Culture experience growing up in the United States - Essay Example

At the same time, the past experiences of each individual are always associated with his/her culture. In addition, the elements of modernization and urbanization have caused cultural shift especially in economically developing and developed countries. This paper tends to discuss the culture experience growing up in Philippines and in the United States. Philippines is a developing country that is blessed with a great traditional culture named Filipino. It is a nation of 7107 islands, which is located at the Pacific rim of the Southeast Asia and the islands are volcanic in origin (The Philippines).

The Philippines’ culture is reflected as a mixture of Spanish, American, and Asian cultures. Spanish colonization in Philippines lasted for 333 years and it had modified the conventional practices of Philippine population to some extent. During that term, the islands were ruled by Mexico and later the islands came under the control and administration of Spain. It is evident that Hispanic influence has played a vital role in Philippine folk arts, festivals, religion, and language. From 1898 to 1946, Philippines were regarded as the territory of United States; and the popularity of English language and contemporary pop culture in Philippines can be attributed to this American influence.

The gradual growth of cultural experience can be attributed to different factors such as past and shared experiences, institutions, and outsiders (Worldview perspectives). When a group of people share some common experience, they make certain generalizations on the basis of their concepts and thoughts. This phenomenon can be seen in the fashion industry of Philippines as Philippines are largely attracted by modern fashion trends. People share their thoughts on recent trends in fashion industry and often it is identified that this sharing practice has a direct influence on the traditional perceptions of Philippine people.

Similarly, the influence of outsiders may alter the cultural structure of a country and it is experienced in Philippines also. In olden days, they maintained indigenous music that was introduced by Taiwan native tribes. This art form underwent various phases of transformation, and recently, pop music has gained popularity which could be attributed to the influence of western culture. The pop western culture has also profound influence on the lifestyle of Philippine people. It is known to everyone that United States is an agglomeration of different cultures, and therefore, the intensity of cultural experience is also comparatively greater across the nation.

The role of minorities in the overall development of the nation is extravagantly important. African Americans, Japanese Americans, Muslim national settlers and others constitute the population. It is said that “living in U.S. is like playing water polo”. However, the United States owns a popular culture that is formed on the strength of ideas and beliefs generated by various social institutions such as politics, media, and commercial systems. Consumerism is the recently identified cultural trend in US; for instance, today people tend to eat out more than ever before.

A growing practice of maintain food diversity is also noticeable among different age groups, especially among different ethnic communities. The growing influence of media and other modern technology have given new interpretation to