An important aspect of U.S. culture is privacy. Many Americans strongly believe in the importance of privacy because its gives us the power to choose our thoughts and feelings and who we share them with. Americans value privacy and their own space. They believe it is important to maintain privacy and confidentiality in commonplace activities of their lives. While Americans can be welcoming of others, they also value when it comes to personal information. For example, sharing salary information or political views is not a common practice. Some people don’t like talking about certain subjects in public because they are worried it will cause people to argue. Conversations tend to be more casual rather than formal while talking to peers to avoid being offensive or insensitive. This informality can also be seen in clothing, greetings, and conducting business.
I think privacy in the U.S is very important for daily functions and overall wellness because it allows people to choose their thoughts and how to express them. Having the right to express ourselves is an advantage that we have in U.S. because we are allowed to share any information we choose to. I value having alone time and my own space to recharge and think. I am grateful for my own space and privacy because I know that not everyone has the luxury of being able to choose their own thoughts and feelings even though it is a fundamental human right. In addition, I agree with keeping information private when needed and having casual conversations to ensure peace and not create any necessary problems. I think it is important to know how to share information and when to keep private because you cant trust everyone you talk to.
I think that someone outside of the U.S culture could view wanting privacy in a bad or rude way. For instance, if someone is being private or casual while having a conversation other people from different cultures could perceive them as being rude or not interested since they don’t want to share more information. Certain subjects like sexual and religious views are viewed differently in other cultures. Someone outside of the U.S culture could be used to talking about these topics in conversation but Americans may consider them sensitive topics. However, I think that someone outside of the U.S. culture could also be intrigued by the privacy we have in U.S. because it could be something new to them. Some cultures don’t have the right or freedom to express themselves or choose their beliefs.
This exercise helps prepare me for my time abroad by allowing me to think about how different some behaviors and attitudes may be in other cultures. It also made me realize how important it is to stay open-minded and observant since London has a very different environment compared to what I am used to. I think this exercise has help me prepare for different types of conversations and behaviors that I don’t usually see here. I will now know how to handle myself in these situations instead of acting like I usually would.