Ideal Culture
Ideal culture refers to a beliefs representation, practices, and moral standards from a traditional standpoint as well as other materials or non-materials accredited in the society. It is a standard base on cultural practices expected to be proficient in the society. Conversely, real culture is a representation of what the society puts into practice as its own culture. Moreover, when talking about real culture it may or may not be in line with the ideal, culture upheld by the public. It is obvious that a real culture of society determines its conformity to the ideal culture that it is self-endorses (Edsforth).
United States of America has a distinctive line dividing its ideal and real culture. For example, there is the practice of equality and equal rights for all its citizens. There are equal opportunities for all in such areas as health, education, occupation, political aspects, economic status, as well as gender. Also, the country highly acknowledges freedom and democracy among its citizens. American culture also recognizes and views adulthood in terms of chronological age. That is once minor matures to adulthood by passing the age of 18 years one is adored adult responsibilities and attains independence.
Therefore, this is an age where by a person can get detached from family and in such a case became self–determining as an individual. The other abundantly clear representation of the ideal American culture is represented by the realization of what is regarded as an American dream. Its aim is to represent what should be contained in life not only in a cultural perspective, but also on every characteristic of life (Chappell). Nationally,such an aspect is well thought-out as an ideal culture. This is because it is a representation of an idyllic utopia where people in the society are given equal rights, but in the real sense, discrimination, as well as prejudice is prevalent in the country.In America, there is a point where religious institutions ignore and refuse to adapt members from a certain race, ethnic group among others.
It is obvious that, until today, there are cases of gender discrimination, especially in the field of politics and business. This is the sphere where male are the dominants in industry. Secondly, freedom and democracy is not accessible to all citizens. The main contributing factor to these issues, perhaps, would be a lack of equal opportunities among the citizens. There is also unreliability on the independence of an individual that is expected at the attainment of 18 years of age.
In this case, emotional maturity as well as readiness is disregarded thus, making the ideal culture legal age questionable and unattested when applied in the real culture. All these factors contribute to the non-attainment of the American dream. In the modern society, things have changed a lot; furthermore, people have learnt new strategies in order to receive what they want. Adults and children in America are struggling a lot trying to handle the available uncertainty of a changing world. For example, the media are in the frontline in spreading hypocrisy in the society. This is because media houses and materials are expected to be in front of the fight of all immoral and unethical behaviors.
What is clear is that, the media are providing materials and programs that are obscene and immoral leaving the parents struggling so hard on how to handle between the point of being protective as well as giving a guideline and opportunity to their children on these issues. The American culture in the modern society has changed in such a way that an issue on immoral or unethical people regard to be appropriate. This is clear that in the modern society people need to learn how to handle the situation in life that is undesirable. These situations may lead into violation of person’s rights. In the real life culture, people teach from their superiors, for example, politicians, parents, teachers, etc.
The key idea is that the media in such instances tries to nature the Americans citizens with an aim of improving their self esteem on several factors, but they over exaggerate it to a point of becoming absurdity (Cohen).Another form of media hypocrisy is that politicians use these means of communication in order to reach their supporters, but they are the same means used in the distortion of the country’s peace. In America, cases of racial discrimination are still prevalent, the medial in one way or the other pretends to critics these acts, but they also tend to support one side. The politicians are on the front line trying to create a culture of society where everyone respects each other (Scranton). They promise equal rights to all citizens in the society; thus, they tend to turn more interests to their ethnic groups where they are receiving more support.
Therefore, with such characters in the society it is hard to maintain a united American society. The reason is that it will be impossible to develop a culture that accommodates every citizen in the American society without a neutral uniting factor.
