Pamela De Santis – English II, LM – Task 1 – March 19, 2009

CULTURAL WORLDVIEWS

New York and “The Bronx”

A. Five values (beliefs/affects/wants)

1. Multiculturality and tolerance. The multi-cultureCULTURAL environment makes New York City unique and worth admiring. It also has a greater level of tolerance for a variety of ideas, thoughts, beliefs.

2. Degree of gender. The maleS dominates a significant portion of the society and power structure. FemaleS ARE more assertive and competitive.

3. Small, NUCLEAR family environment and proud of individual initiative and success.

4. Friendliness and informality. American people begin to speak with strangers as they stand in a queue, sit next to each other at an event, for example.

5. Sport. Baseball (the Yankees) is the best way of unity in New York and, in particular, in The Bronx.

[NOT BAD. NUMBER 5 IS MORE A MYTH THAN REALITY BUT IT STILL IS TRUE THAT IF YOU KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT PLAYERS, YOU WILL CERTAIN HAVE AN EASIER TIME IN NEW YORK AT PARTIES, AFTER MEETINGS, ETC.]

B. Cultural dimensions

1. Horizontal culture

2. Male society

3. Individualist culture and self in control

4. Direct communication

5. Collectivist aspects in small communities.

[PERFECT, AS THE OVERALL PICTURE.
BUT SEE MY COMMENTS ON ANNALISA'S TASK.
(YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO ANALYZE EACH OF the VALUE STATEMENTS) ]

C. Resulting maxims

1. I can passOVERCOME theANY obstacles.

2. I’m a woman and I have the same chances ofRIGHTS AND WILL-TO-SUCCEED AS a man.
[UNFORTUNATELY, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE SAME CHANCES IN A MALE-DOMINATED SOCIETY-]

3. I can speak UP spontaneously, IT'S GOOD TO BE SELF-ASSERTIVE AND FEISTY.

4. I can do what I want alone AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH OTHERS.

5. I can reached myself from the differences. [????? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?]

[OK, WITH THIS YOU CAN BEGIN TO START THINKING LIKE A NEW YORKER.]