MelaniaP
Dec 28, 2015
Undergraduate / Culture is what presents us with the kinds of valuable things that can fill a life. Princeton Essay. [2]
"Culture is what presents us with the kinds of valuable things that can fill a life. And insofar as we can recognize the value in those things and make them part of our lives, our lives are meaningful." Gideon Rosen, Stuart Professor of Philosophy, chair of the Council of the Humanities and director of the Program in Humanistic Studies, Princeton University.
This is going to Princeton and I really want to get in. I'm iffy on this essay so any feedback is appreciated!
Culture is the most basic means through which any one community of people can express themselves. It shines through every individual and adds to each unique personality. Every societal standard, trend, and habit is rooted in the culture of a region. It is the home everyone carries with them, as it is the core of every being and connects you to others. Culture is a large part of my life because my familial background is a mixture of a few vastly components.
My mother was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to the United States as a young adult while my father was born in New York. When they had children we got a bit of both sides of their upbringings. My mom immersed us in the culture of her family as much as she could. There were little things like not wearing shoes in the house out of respect and blessing your elders when they came to visit. It was also an unspoken, universal rule that if one's Filipino parent(s) had close Filipino friends, they were automatically your aunt, uncle, or cousin. Things like this were common and I thought nothing of it. My father, being Italian, would see no problem with having his family over on holidays for huge parties and gatherings.
​But, the most interesting thing about being raised in a Filipino-American house was that there was a blend between the two, a sort of marriage, and a new denomination of the culture was created and unique to my household. For example, In the Philippines the Christmas season starts very early and they take it very seriously due to their predominantly Catholic background, so in my household we're in the spirit by late October. Meanwhile my father plans the annual gathering at the house for Christmas and my aunt's birthday. To this day I look forward to our holiday traditions despite the shifts that have taken place recently. But that is how culture is, it is dynamic and always changing.
I have adopted the majority of my morals from my mother and the wisdom she has always offered to me when situations take negative turns. I was always told to "Consider the source." when dealing with people's unwanted criticism, meaning that if the individual passing judgement is not of any importance in my life I should not even acknowledge their input. I have learned to tolerate others, even if they are not the most pleasant people to be around because that is how I would want to be treated. My mother taught me this and countless other things that have, and will, without a doubt, help me in the future as I enter the adult world and meet new people. If my mother did not have this rich cultural background, I would not have as much empathy or compassion and I would be quite different. Knowing that my mother has lived in true poverty has allowed me to appreciate everything I have now and to cherish others.
"Culture is what presents us with the kinds of valuable things that can fill a life. And insofar as we can recognize the value in those things and make them part of our lives, our lives are meaningful." Gideon Rosen, Stuart Professor of Philosophy, chair of the Council of the Humanities and director of the Program in Humanistic Studies, Princeton University.
This is going to Princeton and I really want to get in. I'm iffy on this essay so any feedback is appreciated!
Culture is the most basic means through which any one community of people can express themselves. It shines through every individual and adds to each unique personality. Every societal standard, trend, and habit is rooted in the culture of a region. It is the home everyone carries with them, as it is the core of every being and connects you to others. Culture is a large part of my life because my familial background is a mixture of a few vastly components.
My mother was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to the United States as a young adult while my father was born in New York. When they had children we got a bit of both sides of their upbringings. My mom immersed us in the culture of her family as much as she could. There were little things like not wearing shoes in the house out of respect and blessing your elders when they came to visit. It was also an unspoken, universal rule that if one's Filipino parent(s) had close Filipino friends, they were automatically your aunt, uncle, or cousin. Things like this were common and I thought nothing of it. My father, being Italian, would see no problem with having his family over on holidays for huge parties and gatherings.
​But, the most interesting thing about being raised in a Filipino-American house was that there was a blend between the two, a sort of marriage, and a new denomination of the culture was created and unique to my household. For example, In the Philippines the Christmas season starts very early and they take it very seriously due to their predominantly Catholic background, so in my household we're in the spirit by late October. Meanwhile my father plans the annual gathering at the house for Christmas and my aunt's birthday. To this day I look forward to our holiday traditions despite the shifts that have taken place recently. But that is how culture is, it is dynamic and always changing.
I have adopted the majority of my morals from my mother and the wisdom she has always offered to me when situations take negative turns. I was always told to "Consider the source." when dealing with people's unwanted criticism, meaning that if the individual passing judgement is not of any importance in my life I should not even acknowledge their input. I have learned to tolerate others, even if they are not the most pleasant people to be around because that is how I would want to be treated. My mother taught me this and countless other things that have, and will, without a doubt, help me in the future as I enter the adult world and meet new people. If my mother did not have this rich cultural background, I would not have as much empathy or compassion and I would be quite different. Knowing that my mother has lived in true poverty has allowed me to appreciate everything I have now and to cherish others.
