Unity in Diversity

     Cultural differences cause racial discrimination in certain societies. It is also one of the barriers to attain unity here in the biosphere. One who transfers to other places goes to an unfamiliar setting may experience the feeling of unpleasantness or disorientation called culture shock. This thing possibly creates such consequences for instance, punishments to the person who consciously or unconsciously violates the laws of other societies. So how will we address this matter considering that it's one of the issues in terms of globalization?

     Since society and culture are interrelated, one does not exist without the other according to a sociologist and anthropologist. Every certain society shares a common culture because culture itself implies that each society has its own way of life shared by most of its members. Culture is a complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, norms, arts, morals, customs and other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. It is a way of life as well as guide for social interaction. Thus, it influences a person's mode of thinking, feeling and acting. It also includes the past and present gains as a result of living together. It prescribes what one can do or not do and how one should do things in various situations. 

     Culture shapes us but we do shape culture too. However, we can't deny the fact that not all members of the society follow the prescribed ways or guidelines which are ideals of behavior. There may be some resistance to them. Some person may violate the code of ethics and the code of honesty and integrity or delicadeza mostly at work or in business transactions. Like here in our country, Filipino students balk wearing the proper attire for school or even at church. Few drivers ignore traffic rules.

     Real culture refers to how one behaves in actual situation with the context of what may be regarded as acceptable and tolerable by the other members of society. In Germany, they don't allow even a single piece of candy wrapper to be thrown on the floor and every citizen has a concern about it, every time one drops it, all the people around will stop all the things that they're doing and stare to the person who did it and so that person will be forced to get it, keep it until he finds trash can. How wonderful it is to happen to any other place especially to our country to prevent the problem about waste management. Furthermore, here in our country many things are actually problems if we just only think of it. Some of these are: we accept surplus and we acquire things with no good provisions, particularly on vehicles. Other countries just use bicycles as a form of transportation and vehicles are only allowed during emergencies which prove they care about Mother Earth; we buy pharmaceutical drugs even without the doctor's prescription disregarding its side effects compared to the Chinese who prefer herbal medicines to be safe ...

     Well I guess, too much for that. Come whatever it is, as long as the world will live together in peace and harmony.

                                                                Acknowledgement to: Aprilene Joy Roa