Proud of your heritage?

Question

People are always asked to be proud of their culture and heritage - this could mean anything from their race, ethnic group, nationality, linguistic group, caste, etc.

Why does one have to be proud about something that he did not chose?

I'm proud of my adchievements that I made possible with my own efforts. I have lived obeying the laws of the society and paid back through my services for the protection it offers me. Why should I feel thankful and proud? Why does everybody feel that they should defend their culture?

Isn't the whole concept of culture serving to divide people by pitting one group against the other? If everybody considered themselves as individual first and last wouldn't there be more peace in the world?

Answer 1

Well, when we get attacked by aliens from outer space then we will all come together and be as one.  Until then, we are divided into groups.  That's just the way it works.  It is innate.

Answer 2

Cultural pride has a lot to do with upbringing and how you were raised forms who you are today. I was raised in a distinctly upper-class well-bred Southern gentile home. I'm very proud of my southern heritage because how I was raised and the culture that consumed my childhood home formed who I am today. But I'm not going to shoot my New England boyfriend or his New England friends for being yankees who don't make a d**n bit of sense. It also forms a sense of group identity, which humans (as pack animals) need. An anthro professor I once had said, "Humans exist only to group things together into categories... white/black, American/foreigner, human/non-human." Being able to fit into a certain group gives a certain level of pride and accomplishment becuase you are a member of that group.

That being said, I am VERY proud of my achievements as well... but not dumb enough to think that I could have gotten any of those personal achievements without the cultural climate I was raised in.

Answer 3

I think it's something innate in most (if not all) of us. We are social beings and we have this need to belong to a group, to a community.

You might see diversity in the different cultures of the world, but don't forget that there are also many similarities we share with each and everyone just for being human.

Your cultural background has something to do with who and what you are today. Just think about this.

Why should you feel thankful and proud? I guess this depends on how you truly feel.

Answer 4

If everyone considered themselves as individuals first wouldn't there be massive back-stabbing and competition?  What makes you think that creating larger collectives to belong to is bad in an individualistic age?

Answer 5

I agree. You can take what is good out of your culture, but then there is bound to be bad as well, and that should not be praised. And then if you pit one against the other you won't see the values in other points of view and become a bit arrogant and bigoted.

Answer 6

Yes I agree with you totally, that is what happened in Rwanda, the Belgiums told the Hutus they are better than the Tsutsi's and that led to genocide. Same with the n**i's and the Jews, Black and White South africans, the irish and the English. I think you should harbour pride as an individual, what you as an individual have achieved. But it is extremely difficult ................ when South afica won the World cup Rugby I was extatic. Think it is the way we are brought up ............... like the Buffalo "Together we shall stand, divided we shall fall."

Answer 7

I see what you're saying, but I am proud of my heritage, mainly because I have respect and know it could have been worse.  Nobody actually asked me or told me to be proud of it.  I don't feel pitted against anyone because of cultural differences, although I sometimes feel others doing that to me.  Some differences make it interesting.