Enculturation is a mostly unconscious process by which we learn the ways of our society by living in and observing it. Enculturation also results from the education, practices, and values of our culture. These unconscious patterns are internalized so that what we do routinely seems “normal.”
According to the Boston University School of Public Health, culture might be considered “‘the way of life for an entire society.’ As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, art, norms of behavior, such as law and morality, and systems of belief.”
Given our history, we think what is true for us is true for everyone. The firm belief in the rightness of one’s perspective, frequently grounded in religion, often leads to intolerance of other ways of living and worshipping.
But enculturation also helps pave the way to accomplishment. One could argue that how successfully you move through society reflects your skill in internationalizing your culture’s customs.
Unless we travel to other parts of the world or move to another land, many of us live our entire lives without knowing how thoroughly we are enculturated in our particular way of life.
Bloom Where You’re Planted
An analogy would be the Syrah grape vines that grow in rocky soil on the north slope of the Pic Saint-Loup hillside in the Languedoc region of France. When the vines mature and the grapes are harvested, the fruit will make a Syrah wine that, besides being elegant and balanced, will also have a distinct sense of the soil and area in which it was grown.
The same is true for you and me. We were born in a particular time in history in a specific location and into a specific family constellation. Our religion, economic class, siblings (if any), setting (rural or urban), and education inform our behaviors and perspectives.
Now imagine what happens when you transplant an 80-year-old Iowa-born, California-based American on foreign soil. That describes my life.
As an American citizen living in France for nearly three years, I’ve noticed a gradual shift in my way of looking at life and, consequently, my priorities. I’ve become keenly aware of my original enculturation as an American from the Midwest, particularly when I change a lifetime habit and adopt the French way of acting. This process, by the way, is called acculturation.
Changes Big and Small
Here are a few of my observations:
- Food: I eat more fruits and vegetables and less meat and sugar. I routinely have freshly baked bread and coffee for breakfast around seven and lunch at one. I eat dinner later (after seven) than I did in the United States.Portions are smaller. Instead of eating a quick bite with the family, the evening meal has greatly expanded to a two-hour five-course dinner. Wine is more frequently served with meals, especially the evening meal.
- Family: Relationships among family members are highly valued. We spend hours together and communicate frequently to maintain close ties. Manners, consideration, and thoughtfulness are expected. When we say goodbye, I routinely give three kisses on the cheek to a family member or friend.
- Transportation: I no longer drive a car. I take free transportation by using the tram and bus.
- General manners: I greet store owners and waiters before seeking service. When I leave their establishment, I wish them a good day. I thank the bus driver, the mail carrier, and the Amazon delivery person when I use their services. I greet my neighbors even if I do not know their names.
- Miscellaneous: My notion of what is historical has shifted from 200 years old to 10,000+ years old. I am no longer surprised when two French people argue about an issue and conclude their argument with three opposing opinions. I bag my own groceries at the grocery store. I carry very little cash; I use a debit card to pay for almost everything. Like wealth, one’s religion is private, not displayed, discussed, or promoted.
Ways I Have Not Been Enculturated
I still retain my American optimism, and despite my advanced years, I look forward to all my tomorrows. I continue to see work as a source of satisfaction and a means to express my creativity rather than a necessary evil to make a living. I would never consider working at a job I hated, waiting for my golden retirement years before I could enjoy life. When working to achieve a goal, I focus more on results than appearances, the process, or the credentials of those around me. I like spending money, and I don’t mind paying taxes since taxes benefit the entire society.
The Best of Both Worlds
Every culture has its pluses and minuses. In my situation, I get to take the best from both cultures I have lived in or live in now—the American and the French. How lucky can a person be?
Canva is the source of all photos.