Performing arts Essay Sample
The Blurring of Identities
As many of the Stories Old and New indicates, there is a growing trend of social boundaries beginning to blur. These cast systems, which, at one point in time, where set in stone, are now beginning to merge into a larger, single formation of the human race. Individuals are beginning to look away from the social norms and what their forefathers had once practiced, to a new day where society is far more open than ever before. However, there are individuals who still oppose and even oppress the merging and blurring of identities and social statuses, in the desire to maintain the ways of old. Yet, as many people indicate, life and people continue to evolve in the way they interact with one another, helping create a race of one and equal humans, instead of the separate and elevated former social status.
Social status is present in every society, from economically powerful nations to tribes living the way they have for thousands of years. Every individual is born into a specific social system and, in many ways, remain in the same social system until their death. Some cultures actually prevent the graduation from one social cast to a higher, in order to maintain exclusivity for the upper tiers. With the emergence of cultural shifts and the integration of different societies together in one location, it is opening up a new world of ethnic interaction, never before seen in the history of the human race. Kong Yen Lin (2009) reports in the Nepali Times of the recent blurring of social hierarchy in the region surrounding Nepal, northeastern India and western China, as more and more individuals are marrying others from different cultures. Many of these people are of varying cast and social classes, yet the growing modernism of the region is now allowing for this blurring to take place. Sanjeevani Yonzon Shrestha, the focal point of the article and a Hindu, marries her long-term dating partner of over eight years, a Newari, in a Hindu/Lama/Newari ceremony. The cross between the different cultural boundaries, Yonzon points out, did begin as a rather difficult transition, as members of both families initially judged them and excluded them from important family gatherings, but eventually, over time, as the initial shock of the wedding and cross-over of cultures died down, the families became more accepting. Lin points out this is not a unique situation with Shrestha and her spouse, but instead is a growing trend, as it blurs the lines between culture and social statuses.
The blurring of identities in an exceptional change taking place throughout the world, and as the situation in Nepal points out, it is extremely beneficial for those involved, as it improves the lives of each member marrying someone else from the different social and cultural class. This is not just a situation taking place in third world countries, however. In the United States, cultural and ethnic lines are continually shrinking and blurring, as is the case with marriage. Miriam Jordan (2012) of the Wall Street Journal points out about 15 percent of all new marriages taking place in the United States during 2010, where between individuals of different racial or ethnic backgrounds, more than double the numbers 30 years prior. The information, compiled by the Pew Research Center, indicates 9 percent of Caucasian, 17 percent of African Americans, 26 percent of Hispanics and 28 percent of Asians married outside of their own ethnic and cultural groups. This is a growing trend and is actually at its highest, currently, in the United States. No other country or region in the world has a higher percentage of individuals marrying outside of their traditional ethnic groups. Of all the states in the U.S., Hawaii maintains the highest percentage of cultural and ethnic blurring with marriage, as 40 percent of all nuptials take place between those of different race. This simply showcases the good taking place throughout the world as identities are blurring and traditional social casts and lines between ethnic groups are shrinking to an all time level. It is not yet to the point where such a practice is openly accepted universally throughout the world, but it is continually improving.
The blurring of different cultures is not always positive, however. Although it has occurred throughout the history of civilization, it often leads to the destruction of a particular society. As more and more individuals of a given culture begin to convert and adapt to a new culture, there is often little left of the former people and their belief system. Whether the people convert over for better opportunities or it is just the way society is pushing, it does represent a tragic loss of, often times, a once powerful and proud people. The blurring of cultures and societies is known as globalization (Suny 2013). This practice has occurred since the dawn of civilization, as people looked to trade goods with one another. However, eventually this did lead to the movement of individuals and eventually the exchange of cultural meanings and customs. Although this stayed at a rather small percentage of citizens, due to limited modes of transportation, this is no longer the case. Globalization is merging different cultures together, creating new ones but, at the same time, expunging others. As Girish Mishra (2013) indicates, the expansion of globalization is causing some cultures to either segregate themselves from modern society or risk extinction. Native Americans in the United States are such a people, where tribal numbers are declining at a rapid rate, as people from the tribes are moving outward, away from the tribe, in search of different opportunities. If the trend continues, the people who first controlled North American are likely to no longer have their own customs and cultures, as it mixes with that of other societies.
Globalization is not just caused by individuals immigrating to other nations, but also through war. Antulio J. Echevarria II (2003) studied the impact of war on globalization, and although this played a larger impact on civilizations in the past, as armies conquered and spread their way of life, current wars are still performing the same tactics, to a lesser extent. As the world becomes a smaller and smaller place, through the integration of social media and improved methods of transportation, the blurring of different cultures is sure to continue, until at some point of time, there is no identifiable separation between one culture and another. Although this may improve the wellbeing of the world and help everyone see one another as one race, it does cause the loss of important, and often-significant ways of life.