Confusing Cultures

Last week’s idea of cool was a little foreign to me. I think that particular culture was a before my time. However,there were some aspects I could identify with, such as the quest of continually seeking cool and also how Thomas never stayed still. I do not intentionally shy away from quiet and stillness (in fact, I find myself seeking it whenever I have a chance), but I hardly ever get the chance due to school, soccer, church, family, and friends. Sure, I can grab fifteen minutes naps here and there but those more like teasers than true moments of relaxation.

The television show Greek, is also an example of a “cool” culture that is foreign to me, but does have aspects that I identify with. It is a show that revolves around the Greek system—a system that remains a little vague and foggy to me, even though two of my roommates are involved with it. They come in talking about it, and they attempt to explain, but I think its impossible to completely understand all the underlying rules and regulations—the unspoken and unwritten laws of the Greeks. The television show is the same way. They have all these guidelines and laws that they have to adhere to, all of these unspoken (but you have to know them because if you break one, you become a social outcast for life) laws that they have to follow. They have these social standards, but really fail to meet any other sort of standards like academic or moral. It is ok if you do not make the grades and its “overlooked” if someone cheats on their boyfriend or girlfriend. (At least on the television show) So there are many aspects that I simply do not relate to. However, I can and do see parts of it that I do relate to, like the smaller complications in life. Boy-girl relationship problems, sibling spats, and the relationship between two best friends—these are all things that I can relate to, and these are what keeps me watching the show.

So now I am going to completely switch gears. I could go on for days about cultures that I do not entirely understand—subcultures and cultures both tend to be definitions of how someone sees them instead of a definition that set-in-concrete. So ultimately, I guess that leads to me not ever being able to completely identify with anyone’s culture but my own, personal one. Honestly, I do not even always understand how my culture influences me and my decisions. I am told that it does, I believe it does, but its kind of like verifying identities in Trigonometry. You know that this equals that, but figuring out the part in-between can be difficult. The culture that surrounds me today baffles me many times over. I do not understand so many aspects of something that is seemingly mine. Like why is it so cool to be a coffee drinker and hang out in local coffee shops? I myself have bought into that trend, but why? There is a website that I find particularly entertaining that kind of laughs at a “white person’s culture” called Stuff White People Like. Many of the things listed are true, but when you thing about it, there is no definite reason why it would be true.