respect rather than deny aging.
Racial and Ethnic Identities
Our racial and ethnic identities are similarly socially constructed. Some racial and ethnic groups, for example, share experiences of oppression. Their attitudes and behaviors may reflect their struggles, influencing their attitudes toward contemporary issues such as affirmative action.
Ethics and Communication
Through Others’ Eyes
Imagine you arrive in the United States from another country. Perhaps unlikely, also imagine that you are totally unfamiliar with what life in the United States is like. In fact, until now you have never viewed American television, watched American films, or listened to American music. You do, however, read and understand English. You find TVGuide.com on the Internet. Based on your perusal of the titles and descriptions of prime-time network and cable programming, what characteristics would you attribute to Americans? How many of your listed characteristics would you consider positive? Negative?
If asked to summarize your discoveries, what conclusions would you draw about what Americans value? What subjects would you identify as of great interest to them? How would you assess their attitudes toward people from other cultures? Finally, what suggestions would you like to offer them?
Religious Identity
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Religious identity is at the root of countless contemporary conflicts occurring in numerous areas, including the Middle East, India, Pakistan, and the United States, with anti-Muslim sentiment becoming a factor in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.27 The least religiously diverse states in the United States are in the South.28
Socioeconomic Identity
Similarly, socioeconomic identity frames how we respond to issues of our day. The significant gap between the ultra-wealthy and the middle and working classes in the United States is contributing to their developing different attitudes on a wide array of issues. National identity refers to our legal status or citizenship. People whose ancestors were from other countries may have been U.S. citizens for generations, yet some still perceive them as foreigners. Do you?
Generational Differences
In addition to recognizing how gender, racial and ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, and national differences affect cultural identity, we also need to acknowledge the role generational differences play in our communication with one another.
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Demographers usually classify people into the following generations: matures, boomers, Gen X, Gen Y (the millennial generation), and iGen.
The Greatest Generation.
Called “the greatest generation,” matures were born between 1900 and 1945. World War II and the Cold War were two of their defining experiences. Matures are known for respecting authority, following the rules, being loyal to their employing organizations, and respecting timeliness.
The Baby Boom.
Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, came of age during the space race, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and Watergate. They are famous for questioning authority, displaying a “can do” attitude, and focusing on how to get their way. The first TV generation, boomers actually had to get off the couch to change channels.
Generation X.
Gen X-ers, who were born between 1965 and 1982, saw traditional gender roles bend and flex. The Web emerged during their formative years. They are known for seeking a work–life balance and being loyal to people, not organizations.
Generation Y: The Millennials.
Gen Y members, born between 1983 and 1995, are referred to as the millennial generation or as digital natives. They are known for being technologically savvy. They also have exceedingly high expectations and think they are proficient multitaskers. They are apt to spend more time with the Internet and media than they do face-to-face with others. One out of three Gen Y members is a minority.
iGeneration.
The postmillennial generation (born after 1995) is the most digitally savvy among us and the first generation to grow up with smartphones. Also called Generation Z or the App Generation, the iGeneration has no memory of a time without social media. Although still forming their identities, they nonetheless are expected to present a crystallized and idealized online identity.29 Described as conscientious, somewhat anxious, and predisposed to “play it safe,” they are looked to as prime influencers of tomorrow and mindful of the future. They tend to embrace anonymous media platforms where incriminating images disappear virtually instantly. Sometimes referred as “millennials on steroids,” they are concerned with their personal brands but believe that the generation before them posted too openly.30
Career Builder: Gen-You and Future Me
Culture influences many of our work orientations, including the ability to work in a team, conceptions of leadership, ideas of rewards, attitudes toward gender, ideas about power, the amount of uncertainty one can tolerate, and the topics discussed with coworkers. Of course, culture also impacts ability to work with the members of diverse generations.
1 First, explain how your cultural identification influences you on each of the variables identified in the previous paragraph.
2 Next, discuss the behaviors that you and others of your generation should adopt in order to work successfully in organizations alongside members of earlier and/or later generations. What would you explain to members of these other generations regarding how to work successfully with you?
3 Finally, indicate how you would determine if an organization’s culture reflected your values and was a good fit for you.
Cultures and Co-Cultures
A culture is the system of knowledge, beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that are acquired, shared, and used by its members during daily living.31 Within a culture as a whole are co-cultures. Co-cultures are composed of members of the same general culture who differ in some ethnic or sociological way from the parent culture. In our society, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Japanese Americans, the disabled, gays and lesbians, and the elderly are just some of the co-cultures belonging to the same general culture32 (Figure 2.2).
Figure 2.2
