Everyone has a different culture; no one was raised exactly the same. Whether your cultural difference is due to your language, birthplace, or just how you were raised, it can drastically affect both you, and those around you. Culture can make things in life more clear, or even sometimes more arduous.

Whether the effects someone faces from having a different culture are negative or positive, they can greatly affect them. One of many examples being from ‘’An Indian Father’s Plea’’, written by Robert Lake ( Medicine Grizzly Bear). He write’s to his son, Wind Wolf’s, teacher about how he doesn’t understand how she could have labeled him as a ‘’slow learner’’. He begins to tell his son’s teacher how he was raised, to prove he is in no way a slow learner. Ne of the things he says to provide as evidence is ‘’He learned his basic numbers by helping his father count and sort rocks…’’, meaning Wind Wolf knew his basic numbers even before he got into school.

He follows up his claim with more examples, such as ‘’He can probably count more than forty birds, tell you and his peers what kind of bird it is, and where it lives…’’ All the way through the article, Wind Wolf’s father provides substantial evidence that just because he is not accustomed to western culture does not make him a ‘’slow learner’’. He made a point to say that SHE is just not prepared to teach someone of native culture. He goes on to tell her he is not ‘’culturally disadvantaged’’ but culturally inclined, and has so much to offer her class. Unfortunately, Wind Wolf faced many negative affects to being of a different culture, like stereotyping and discrimination. In Wind Wolf’s culture, long hair is a sign of masculinity, but the kids in his class mocked him for it, making him want to cut his hair.

Another example of cultures effects would be The Biography of Frida Khalo. Frida Khalo, a famous Mexican artist, had many strong opinions on the differences between her homeland of Mexico, and America, where she lived for a while. In one of her most famous paintings, Frida is standing on the border of Mexico and America. On the American side, you see industrialization and pollution, and machines everywhere. On the side portraying Mexico, you see flowers, native artifacts, and a traditional native and all-natural seeming culture. It’s extremely clear that she favors Mexico over America. Her Mexican culture differed a lot from the American culture, and her painting shows that the American side was not her cup of tea. Some may argue that culture does not affect everyone/anyone. If you think about it, culture is what forms who you are. What you believe to be traditional, taboo, and normal. Culture shapes our views and perspectives on everything from life, to food, activities, etc. You may find something to be taboo while someone may not, therefore affecting other people by inciting reactions and sometimes discrimination and even harsh stereotyping.

Culture often shapes who you are, affecting both you and those around you. You have your own culture, and the person beside you has theirs. The world is a giant mix of different people, cultures, and customs. The affects of your culture may be positive or negative on both yourself and others. Culture is based on who you are. Therefore, culture is like those within it.