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Chapter Eight Cultural Diversity Reflection

This entire chapter focuses solely on learning how to gain cultural intelligence. In a very
revealing manor, it helps address ways in which I have not looked at cultural diversity entirely.
The definition defined on page eighty-nine in the textbook can be paraphrased as becoming
aware of others as well as my cultural identity. Throughout this reflection, the key points that the
book addressed towards building cultural intelligence will be presented.
In this chapter, the first step in understanding cultural diversity is explained in stating that
one must learn their own cultural identity in order to increase cultural intelligence. Cultural
identity is defined as the people and ways of life in which one identifies with. Such cultural
identifications are gender, race, family, religion, political affiliation, social class, and geographic
location. These characteristics help universally identify with others through shared experiences,
cultural beliefs, common categorization, and communication. For example, a same race CoWorker that goes to your church and grew up in the same state as you shares many of the same
cultural identifications as you and is likely the reason you identify yourself with them.
Now broadening cultural diversity, cultural lenses come into play. A cultural lens refers to
the influences that affect the way we evaluate the world around us. For example, if you grew up
in a family that despised a sexual preference, then you might seem yourself refer to thinking of
your familys reference in situations involving that sexual preference. A way to build cultural
intelligence is to learn to adjust our cultural lenses in order to understand others needs, values
and behaviors.
Now that I understand how to broaden my cultural intelligence, I can use it to answer the
question: Why are cultural identities socially constructed and relational? By understanding my
cultural identity, I can confirm that I use the people around me to become accustomed to their

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culture. The similar traits are almost masked. For example, if two people are white, a race
question never arises about how life is being a Caucasian. Since I socialize with white skin, it
has become socially constructed as normal. This is relational because the chapter talks about a
term called enculturation. This term describes how one immerses in his culture to the point that
our way of life seems natural. This explains why an African American jumps out to me. I see him
as a different cultural because of his race. I now understand that his race does not define his
culture as he might view himself as a male, republican, American who is a Christian, living in
Gainesville; in which he would be culturally similar to me.
Your Turns by page numbers:
Pg. 93: I disagree with the fate and change values. I believe an American works and earns
his life outcome. I believe that change is needed especially viewed in an environmental aspect.
Pg. 95: My disability with arthritis. In 9th grade I was diagnosed with SJIA: arthritis in every
joint. I couldnt even walk due to the immense pain. Pg. 96: My sexual orientation as being
straight. Around my friends it is less important since we share the same trait. Around gay people,
it becomes more important. Pg. 97: Marriage. It seems like many people from my graduating
class are getting married. I want to be able to start a proper family one day. Pg. 100: I believe
they view those people in a different way since they probably grew up in wealthy families
looking down on poor Black and Hispanics. Pg. 103: No, I was born into the culture I grew up in
which I label as my ethnicity. Pg. 103: Yes, I am not with anybody that has the same redneck
ethnicity here. Everyone is different and some even laugh at my redneck culture. Pg. 105: Yes,
I tend to talk to people that are similar in culture to me. Pg. 105: I was taught to look past skin
towards ones personality. I now do not judge a book by its cover.