Autoethnography of Culture and Diversity Essay Example

careers and continue their education in college. Consequently good academic performance is highly encouraged and good performers are rewarded to motivate them to perform better. Many Caucasians’ believe that children should be disciplined if the child does something wrong according to that particular family’s standards with spanking being both acceptable and rejected in the Caucasian culture. The Caucasians belief that children should behave in a certain way, contrary to which warrants reprimanding from the parents or members of the society (Slapin, 2013). While thinking of an ideal Caucasian family, “The cleaver’s” pop into mind which is a misconstrued perception since many Caucasian children come from single-parent homes with the roles of wife and husband reversed and with many households having more than two children.

An ideal Caucasian family comprises of a husband, wife and the children each of the members with clearly stipulated roles and responsibilities. In a typical Caucasian family, the husband is the head of the household and is the dominant one being the provider of the family. The wife assumes the role of being the care-taker of the family. The husband and the wife respect the role of each other and comprehend the responsibilities of each other in the family. The Caucasians average two children per family and the children are raised to hold the same family values as their parents. The Caucasians have a high regard for their families and often gather together on birthdays and during major holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. Caucasians are known to have a strong ethics at work which they adhere to the latter; however men and women in their twenties have been shown by

research to enjoy leisure time engaging in pleasurable activities than having a stable career (Slapin, 2013). It is however assumed that men are supposed to bring home the larger pay check with women holding that right too.

The Caucasians believe that work is important and work hard to provide for their families. However, most Caucasians have successful jobs with the advanced position depending on the age and experience of a person. Majority of the Caucasians are business owners and prove the ethics of their work by the prosperity of their business. Views based on race assume that children of Caucasian origin cause less trouble than children belonging to other races. The racial based views suggest that children of other races are more likely to engage in indiscipline than children of Caucasian origin. However data collected on school discipline from the Department of Education depicts a different picture. It shows that children of Caucasian origin have the highest percentages of in-school and out-of school suspensions and expulsions compared to children of other origins. Christianity is the largest religion in the United States. Statistics show that Caucasians comprise the largest race in the U.S hence one can assume that most Caucasians practice Christianity (Slapin, 2013). The church is a priority among the Caucasians and religious beliefs are practiced according to each denomination’s beliefs and the Bible holds the guidelines by which Caucasians live their day to day lives. Lifestyles and everyday decisions are based on religious beliefs.

The Caucasians use the English language to communicate. From a study on self-assessments, they believe that they communicate well with other people and are comfortable communicating. The Caucasian children are majority in

classrooms but are minority in some areas with language not a challenge in the classroom. Children from low socio-economic class are not equipped with school supplies hence receive similar support to that given to children from other races (Slapin, 2013). Most Caucasians parents encourage their children to obtain a college degree.

My background has influenced how I view myself and other people. It has taught me the virtue of respect for self and other people. I have learnt to carry myself with a lot of dignity and to value other people since they are also human beings like me who deserve a lot of respect too. I have also learnt to value humanity and treat patients with the respect they deserve. My life experiences have also contributed greatly in shaping my character. Ranging from the experience of assisting a mother to deliver to seeing a patient sustain life, I have learnt a lot especially on the value of human life and the need to preserve it at all times. I therefore treat patients with kindness acknowledging how delicate and valuable human life is. My religious beliefs have taught me that God is the sole creator of all, and that He created all human beings in His own image and likeness (Slapin, 2013). This has made me appreciate that all human beings are equal before the eyes of God and thus deserve equal and fair treatment regardless of the different races and backgrounds we come from.

Family factors such as the teaching on the need to love and respect each other have influenced how I view myself and other people. I have learnt to view myself as a

responsible person who is part and parcel of the family with a lot to contribute towards the family welfare and the general welfare of the society. This has influenced how I view other members of the society in that I have realized that each member of the society is important since each has a role to play in the society. Education is another factor that has affected self view and others view (Huguley, 2003). Education has changed my view of self worth and to appreciate the power granted by education to other people regardless of their racial and cultural backgrounds.

My personal assumptions and beliefs regarding other cultures and diverse population issues are based on my background and my culture. I assume that all people are equal before the eyes of God and thus each person deserve equal and fair treatment with humanity. I belief that all people deserve the right to health regardless of their culture, thus all people should be given equal access to health to preserve their right to life and to alleviate human suffering. My assumptions and beliefs have affected my nursing practice (Huguley, 2003). They have enabled me to treat all people equally without considering their cultural background and also taught me the value of human dignity and the need to protect life always encouraging me to provide quality care to all patients.

The different treatment of people based on their cultural background and the belief of cultural superiority held by some people from some cultures is the issue of potential conflict that may influence care delivery to a group. It denies the people belonging to a particular culture the right of

access to health. I personally believe that all people are equal hence no race is superior to another hence people should not be given health services according to the color of their skin (Huguley, 2003). The issue can be solved by advocating for the right of equal access to health to all people regardless of their background and punishing heavily offenders of that right.
In conclusion the Caucasian culture values humanity and the respect for human life without application of double standards. In addition health is a basic fundamental right which every human being is entitled to enjoy regardless of the cultural background he/she comes from. The color of the skin should never be used to determine any issue in this world.

References

1. Ellis, C. (2004). The ethnographic I: A methodological novel about autoethnography. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
2. Huguley, G. S. (2003). Growing up African American: Struggling through the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow segregation. Bloomington, IN: 1stBooks Library
3. Slapin, B. (2013). Basic skills Caucasian Americans workbook. Oakland, CA: PM Press