Topic > Asian and American Culture in an American Society

The United States of America is a "melting pot" of different cultures. Although primarily Western in nature, due to the large-scale immigration of ethnic variants from other countries, as well as the different birth and death rates of natives, settlers, and immigrants, "white" American culture has taken on the shades of a rainbow . Within this society, Asian-Americans are often perceived as the upper strata due to high income and good education. These people have almost successfully integrated into society, resulting in the lines becoming blurred. This essay would help demonstrate the similarities between Asian-Americans and Americans in religion, education, and power, while also exploring their differences in mindset, handling of controversial issues, and their social relationships. Asia is a continent shrouded in mystery. It is a land of Eastern gods and goddesses where mystical philosophies abound. The supposed location of the legendary "Shangri-la" is somewhere in the Himalayas. Many Asian monarchies are supposed to be of divine descent. It would therefore be a startling revelation to many when they realized that the majority of Asian-Americans are similar to Americans in that they profess a monotheistic view of religion. The three largest monotheistic religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, originated in Asia. Tradition holds that Christianity was brought to India as early as the 1st century AD by Jesus' disciple, the apostle Thomas. Another major similarity in both Asian American and American cultures is the priority given to education. Many Asian-American parents work multiple jobs so they can finance their children's education. Many Asian-American students can boast of four-point…half-paper…canine culture. All Asians have a hierarchical system in place for each member of their society which influences the form of speech or honorifics adopted when addressing a person. Americans, on the other hand, are more egalitarian. One of the most famous examples is the use of "keigo" or formal speech in the Japanese language; where the language used when addressing a person of higher status is significantly different when addressing one's peer. However, the American speaking style is considerably informal and friendlier. There may be more differences than similarities between Asian-American and American cultures. However, the common ground that is found will go a long way toward understanding these differences and working through them, so that America can boast a more vibrant culture and can proudly say, “Freedom, equality and fraternity for all”..’