The paragraph Defense Against Difference is extremely insightful on the different ways people treat cultures different from their own. I identify with this model because I’ve experienced myself and I think its the most used one. I think cultures discriminate against each other because they view the other culture as lesser then their own. For instance, when the Age of exploration happened in the 1400s the European settlers viewed the African, Native Americans and etc. cultures as inferior compared to their culture. They disrespected the was these groups of people dressed, their gods and their way of living. They created stereotypes and made them animal like to justify the dehumanization of these groups of people.

I’ve experienced this myself. One of my white friends who  I befriended, my first year in college discriminated and disrespected my culture and where I came from. I took her to a low income area where I grew up at and she completely belittle the way my family and friends spoke and acted. I tried explaining to her that not every one is going to act like a 22-year old white girl from Ohio. She then made it seem like her way of life was the standard and that everyone should try to act the way she does. The world is made up of people who come from different backgrounds, races and cultures. People shouldn’t have to look and act one way to be accepted into society. I hope to learn the different reasons why people discriminate against different cultures and what could be done to avoid it. Also I want to understand how cultures shape individual people.