Emotions Through Culture and Racism

Emotions through Culture and Racism

Emotion plays a vital role in human life and health. Emotion caries unlimited amount of definitions and are usually uttered through behavior and expressions. In addition emotions have physical effects on a person, anything from muscle tensions to cardiovascular behavior. Emotions as well vary through cultures, with each culture having their own way of expressing their thoughts and feelings. Some cultures express their emotions liberally while others choose to keep it a covert or have it disclosed because it tends to show ones vulnerabilities. Throughout reading the chapters and articles, several theories that relate to emotions demonstrate how these beliefs, feelings and outlooks are determined by the way events are appraised. At times, all cultures might express the same type of emotions, but the events that bring those emotions out are different. The theory that corresponds well to these culture and emotion issues is the, "Social Construction Theory", which emphasizes on how the behavior by one is created or influenced by their culture and creates specific ways to express, think, experience and endure emotions.

One of the two articles that I choose to peer-review is, "Are you looking at me, or Am I?" I chose this article because it exposed equivalent emotions that I felt after September 11, 2011, when two hi-jacked airplanes were crashed into New York City's famous Twin Towers. This catastrophic day lead to too many controversial issues from the plane crash being accomplished by the hands of Osama Bin laden and others claiming illuminati issues where the United States were the ones who did it. given that this situation involved a Middle Eastern ethnicity, most people began to categorize all Middle Easterns as one. For example, since all Asian people seem so similar most people categorize all of into one when in reality they are all completely different; just like how my ethnicity, "Persian" is entitled to other Middle Eastern cultures like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and etc. During those hard times not only I but many other non Afghani Middle Eastern received a lot of criticism and derogatory statements assuming we are part of that heartbreaking event that took place on September 11. I've been called everything from terrorist to a devil, just because of my ethnicity. Also, Persians are famously known for their short tempered emotions and low amount of patience, so these false remarks can be taken to a certain degree where a situation gets worse. Violent was the next type of emotion that was being built up inside, everyone has their limits before that fuse goes out and mine was making its way there. The effects of racism could result in stigmatization and social exclusion. Racism is bonded with emotions, because if it didn't, racism would be a good thing. At times I felt embarrassed of what ethnicity or in general who I was because I developed a fear of others not liking me. This lead to lower self-esteem, a ridiculous conscious and anger built up inside. To try to destroy or depict ones quality in a person through racism shows a major impact on you and your surroundings.

The second article I choose to peer-review is, "Universals and Cultural Differences in Recognizing Emotions." Another experience that I endured throughout my life came through a coarse relationship. While I was attending a community college in Pasadena I met and began dating a Japanese girl, in cultural terms, we were far from alike. Our relationship was kept subversive and disclosed mainly because of her family, knowing that they would not commend of their daughter dating an outside ethnicity, especially a Middle Eastern. What we discussed in class tied knots with my experience with a Japanese girl especially how Japanese people display negative emotions towards acquaintances but not towards family or close friends. Japanese culture is also known for not dealing great with change especially in an emotionally aspect. The relationship eventually grew into one that wasn't really going to last for too long. I eventually developed strong anger issues that caused a major effect on the relationship. I felt that at times I wasn't good enough to be with her because if I was, her parents would know about me. It guided me to think that there was something wrong with me and that if I were to leave her, would everyone else feel the same? I eventually became ashamed of my ethnicity, thinking it wouldn't take me far in life. At some periods, we wouldn't comprehend each other due to cultural differences. Some issues would come up and it would affect us both emotionally, but the way we expressed it was completely different. This circumstance that I encountered has strong association to Ekman's Neo-cultural theory which describes, "How environmental events