Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

       As I asked my three colleagues (two of them are local, the other one is a foreigner) about the definitions of culture and diversity, here are the answers they gave me.   One local colleague said that culture is about one’s knowledge, experiences, and his/her backgrounds.  Diversity is the product of different cultures in a society.  Another colleague who comes from England said that culture is related to which country one is in.  There are cultural differences between one country and another, in terms of religions, foods, upbringings, behaviors, and others.  Diversity, according to his definition, is the differences within one country, one society, or one family.  For example, one family might has differences among the members in the selection of music, the tastes of food, and the colors used in drawings.  The other local colleague explained that culture is something one inherited from his/her past generation.  It could be the knowledge, the habits, and the religion.  Diversity is the differences of cultures among people  have inherited. 

       It seems that all my three colleagues believe that culture is related to how people live and relate with others.  And they (my colleagues) have the same thinking that diversity is the differences of culture among people.  However, they have omitted the aspect of dominant culture, as well as the distinguished aspects of surface and deep culture.  My colleagues look at the culture in a very general term, neglecting the impact of culture to diversity, and how individual diversity can be linked to our social identities. 

       The definitions of culture and diversity given by other people have made me realized that culture indeed is complex and dynamics, not easily be described or understood.  If one does not really study about the issues and aspects of culture and diversity, one might not fully understand the impacts and influences of culture and diversity can bring about to our society, and to individuals.