Culture & country Essay

There is no country today whose culture and values are so isolated from the mainstream of the world. The preservation of their thoughts and peculiarities as people has been, not just a social phenomenon, but a proof that no culture is so exact or perfect to any community on earth. Each is tailored-fit to that specific tribe, community, or people. The Philippines was colonized by the United States for more or less half a century. Many Filipinos today, act, think, and work like any American their age. Just consider the fashion and music people from these two nations enjoy. A closer look will reveal that Filipinos prefer the same type of music and clothing just as the same as any American. However, while cultural subjugation may be present, since US has largely dominated the thoughts of Filipinos, striking differences cannot be denied. On Family matters, Filipinos usually ask the permission of their parents before engaging in marriage. The groom’s family pays visit to the bride’s home to discuss matters regarding the wedding. Most of the time, the parents’ have their last say on almost all conceivable aspects of marriage. It is a truism, that Filipinos hold the idea that marriage is not just union of individuals but of families, as well. On the contrary, weddings, American style are commonly planned by the couples themselves and the parents have little or no influence at all in the preparation and ceremony itself. Furthermore, many of Filipino women today are still dependent to their spouses. Largely, their women are more patriarchal in orientation in terms of family life than their American counterparts. On the other hand, American women are more independent and self-actualized individuals, while Filipinos are very family-dependent people. As proof, they would usually live in one house or in one neighborhood together with the clan, very different from American families who usually live far from each other. This reveals the close-family ties of the Filipinos, compared to the independent-minded thoughts of the Americans. While this issue is so simple, the effect is profound and cannot be diminished. The family is a microcosm of the entire society and the mirror of the entire nation. It is where all social contexts are indexed and all values are reflected. Source: Shead, M. T. ed. (2006). Family Structure. retrived May 9, 2006, from Living in the Philippines. Website:http://www. livinginthephilippines. com/philculture/family. html