Cultural identity is the sense of superiority that an individual derives from being a member of his or her ethnic background; culture is an element of human social life that is passed from generation to the next through the process of socialization.
The Asians ethnic groups are products of social, legal, political, and economic factors passed down generations through socialisation; Asian families have their structure rooted in the early family structure of China, the culture has three main structures patriarchal rule, patriarchal, and extended families rule structure. I am an Asian who has been socialized with the Asian culture, being a man there are some duties, roles, obligations, and expectations that the society has upon me (Books 23)
In the patriarchal family setting, sons or boy child are considered superior than the girl-child, the culture finds men to be more variable and worth much respect than women. Families that give birth to boys are ranked higher in the community and the general believe is that they have brighter future.
When I was born, there were more celebrations in the family than the case was when my sister was born; this is deeply rooted in the community that it’s talked openly among siblings. When growing up, girls are expected to respect their brothers and treat them with some standard of seniority; boys and girls roles are defined by prescribed roles defined by hierarchy, obligation, and duty (Hulsbosch, Elizabeth and Martha 45).
The Asian culture has been there since the emergence of the community and continues to be observed; however with modern advocates on human rights, there are some actions and practices that have been ignored by the culture.
When living in a family, there is much emphasis on collective unit and individualism is seen as disruptive and disrespectful; when living in the collective structure, then the men within the collection are the ones that take the leadership role (Wright-Neville 12).
They are the ones that offer instructions and women within the group are expected to follow the instructions as they have been given. The notion is not only on adults but also happens among children games; when children are playing the boys in the groups are the ones that take the leadership role and give instructions that girls within the group are likely to follow.
When it comes to games, there are some games that are considered to be for men, the games are mostly the hand games that, might involve the use of much energy and thought. With such kind of games a boy grows knowing that he is better and smarter than girls of their own age. When it comes to adults, the roles and home chores are also dividend among gender line where male are expected to handle hard stuffs like building, taking care of the family, and feeding the family.
In homes, men are considered as the bread winners of the family, they are thought to have the role of looking for a live hood to their children and take care of their wife’s financially and to some extent handle some social responsibilities. Male are expected to be dominant and fathers are expected to handle disciplinarian responsibilities within the family. When making decisions, it is the man who has the final say; man’s decision is always the right decision where women are not expected to disagree or create arguments.
The Asian cultural identity that I have been oriented to requires that I work hard in preparation of future undertakings where I will be expected to take care of my wife and children. In the event that a woman outsmarts me, I feel less of a man and work harder to outdo the woman in the next more. When in the company of women, I feel to be valuable and of high self-esteem however my personality and character does not allow me to be proud, boastful or disregard other people (Edward 90)
When dealing with my girlfriend I expect her to be affectionate, self-sacrificing, and caring; in the future when I get married, I will look forward to have a home maker who understands household responsibilities and taking care of the family.
The Asians culture called thrice obeying rule, according to the rule wives and daughters are expected to respect their fathers/eldest brother in youth, husbands in marriage, and sons when widowed. Although the rule is deeply rooted in the community, personally I don’t find it right to oppress women, I treat them with respect and dignity as I understand they are human beings like men only that the system seems to oppress them.
In the Asian culture men are expected to carry on the family name, they are expected to enlarge the family as when they marry the wife has to move to live with the husband’s family. Generally men are expected to provide financial support to their families and wives are seen as transmitters of tradition and handle most housework and childcare.
In the case of conflicts in a family, husbands are expected to have the final say and offer guidelines; in the instance that the wife has wronged the husband, the society allows some disciplining, however when a man was to wrong the wife, it is taken that he has wronged the entire community thus the wife can only complain to the council of elders (Biografi 67).
When a family has acquired some resources/assets the culture demand that the property should be under the name and care of the husband, he has the final say on the use and the probable division that should be done on the products. The main reason for this notion is that women are not permanent either in their homes, as they will be married off and move to their husbands premises and when at the husbands place they are comers (SĹŹng-gon 112).
Cultural identity and socialization has an effect on the personality and esteem that someone has, in the Asian gender division, it women have low self-esteem as the culture requires them to bow down on their husbands, fathers, sons (in the case of divorcee), and brothers. They grow with the belief and notion that they are inferior and they should always come second from men.
Culture is passed from generation to another through socialization; in the Asian culture, gender roles are moulded and reinforced from childhood where women /girls are socialized to respect and be submissive to men. Men on the other hand, are socialized to believe they should offer financial support to their families and ensure that the family is secure. Resources are distributed in lines of gender where men are executed to be the owners of capital and women their labourers (Bijan 12-34)
Works Cited
Books, LLC. Asian Culture: Culture of China, Old World, Etiquette in Asia, Chinese. New York: General Books LLC, 2010. Print.
Bijan, Chatterjee. Studies in Asian history and culture: presented to Dr. B. R. Chatterji on his eightieth birthday. Michigan: the University of Michigan, 2006.Print.
Biografi, Politik. Southeast Asian identities: culture and the politics of representation in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. New Jersey: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Print.
Edward, William. Ethnic identity and “Asian culture”: the group construction of Pan-Asian unity. Texas: University of Texas at Austin, 1999.Print.
Hulsbosch, Marianne, Elizabeth Bedford, and Martha Chaiklin. Asian material culture. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press,2009. Print.
Wright-Neville, David. Asian culture, Asian politics, and Asian diplomacy: problems in theorizing. Michigan: the University of Michigan, 2006.Print.
SĹŹng-gon, Kim. Cultural studies in Asia. New York: Seoul National University Press. 2004.Print.