issue 207 FLY AW小组第九次作业

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From the perspective of mine, I fundamentally agree with the statement insofar as the rituals and ceremonies’ functions of defining various cultures, thus the definition could enhance the senses of group identity. Nevertheless, besides rituals and ceremonies, we human race have other more effective and key means to preserve the cultural identity, and these determinant roles can be overlooked by no means.

At first glance, the balance of empirical evidence would seem to lend considerable credence to the speaker’s claim. After all, it is a common phenomenon that every culture is characterized by a unique set of rituals and ceremonies. For one thing, according to the Maslo’s need theory, each individual has a tendency to classify himself/ herself into a group to look for emotional and spiritual satisfaction. During the process of rituals and ceremonies, for example, the Spring Festival in China, people are able to absorb the psychology power from the mass, who share the same celebration as themselves. For another, lacking of the adherence to the traditional rituals and ceremonies may result in the assimilation into the trend of globalization and loss of identity, thus destine homogeneous culture.

Yet some sound truths have agitated the determinant status of rituals and ceremonies in preserving. While admitting the indispensable role which rituals and ceremonies play, we should look into the initial purpose of ceremonies and rituals, which is rooted not in cultural identity but rather in superstition and spiritual beliefs. The archeology and anthropology researches underscore this point. The original purpose of a ritual might be a celebration for a harvest or praying for a successful hunt. Consequently, preserving cultural identity could not be the unique and initial function of the ritual and ceremony.

And as the technology and economy develops, penetrating through every pore of the world, there increasingly creates a common worry correspondingly, which is hovering over the dispute of diminished senses of group identity owning to an irreversible trend of globalization and secularization. When Japanese teenagers are chatting happily, with a cup of coffee in their hands, sociologists would worry about the disappearance of tea-house one day in the future. When Westerners enjoying the Chinese cate, the gastrologists will feel anxious about the lapse of the native and traditional diet. Most experts in the field assert that the fear of diminishing identity would come true because of the ostensibly cultural converging, thus claim that groups of people need to preserve the rituals and ceremonies to help them remain a sense of who they are. But how far these grouped practices have left their traces under the sun? We cannot figure out this question. Since the reality is usually not the case as the experts have claimed. Even from some point of view, associations between group members become further intimate. This fancy phenomenon pulls us to swerve to other elements determining the group identity.

Besides rituals and ceremonies, there exists much more key factors which serve as preserving the senses of group identity. In Africa below the equator, there lived races who were developing along practically independent lines. Religions and ethics, in many districts around the world, are the foundations of cultures. For example, the pictures of Arabians are usually combined with the Islamism and Alcoran, while we often link the Chinese with Confucius. Still, we can tell the prudent German and Romantic France in crowd through their talks and behaviors. Maybe more interesting, occupation also can be a representation of certain culture. Gypsy is the classical example here. They are excelled at astrology and fortune-telling. When we get a glance of the person in the street who tries to anticipate the future for you, for the most case, you will think of Gypsy. In sum, significant as the role of ritual and ceremonies might virtually be, in the representing and defining the culture, there are still other respects that help us to preserve the senses of group identity.
Simply put, to prevent the cultural assimilation into the homogenous world nowadays, a subculture with the unique heritage must be maintained, maybe by way of rituals and ceremonies. Notwithstanding, we should also be circumspect with other aspects that define and distinguish various cultures, helping us embrace the concept of culture, such as religion, language and ethics, which signify our values and beliefs, help us find habitats for our hearts.

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我当年怎么写了这么多作业～呜～晚上回来再看

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Issue207
"Rituals and ceremonies help define a culture. Without them, societies or groups of people have a diminished sense of who they are."

I fundamentally agree with the statement insofar as the rituals and ceremonies’ functions of defining various cultures, thus the definition could enhance the senses of group identity. Nevertheless, besides rituals and ceremonies, we human race have other more effective and key means to preserve the cultural identity, and these determinant roles can be overlooked by no means.

At first glance, the balance of empirical evidence would seem to lend considerable credence to the speaker’s claim. After all, it is a common phenomenon that every culture is characterized by a unique set of rituals and ceremonies. For one thing, according to the Maslo’s need theory, each individual has a tendency to classify himself/ herself into a group to look for emotional and spiritual satisfaction. During the process of rituals and ceremonies, for example, the Spring Festival in China, people are able to absorb the psychology power from the mass, who share the same celebration as themselves. For another, lack of the adherence to the traditional rituals and ceremonies may result in the assimilation into the trend of globalization and loss of identity, thus destine homogeneous culture. 应该再加一句都一样了，很容易迷失自我

Yet some sound truths have agitated the determinant status of rituals and ceremonies in preserving. While admitting the indispensable role which rituals and ceremonies play, we should look into the initial purpose of ceremonies and rituals, which is rooted not in cultural identity but rather in superstition and spiritual beliefs. The archeology and anthropology researches underscore this point. The original purpose of a ritual might be a celebration for a harvest or praying for a successful hunt. Consequently, preserving cultural identity could not be the exclusive and initial function of the ritual and ceremony.
仪式和典礼的最初目的是为了迷信和精神信仰, 寻找自我并非唯一和最初的原因

And as the technology and economy develops, penetrating through every pore of the world, there increasingly creates a common worry correspondingly, which is hovering over the dispute of diminished senses of group identity owning to an irreversible trend of globalization and secularization. When Japanese teenagers are chatting in a weekend club, with a cup of coffee in their hands, sociologists would worry about the disappearance of tea-house one day in the future. When Westerners enjoying the Chinese cate, the gastrologists will feel anxious about the lapse of the native and traditional diet. Most experts in the field assert that the fear of diminishing identity would come true because of the ostensibly cultural converging, thus claim that groups of people need to preserve the rituals and ceremonies to help them remain a sense of who they are. But how far these grouped practices have left their traces under the sun? We cannot figure out this question. Since the reality is usually not the case as the experts have claimed. Even from some point of view, associations between group members become further intimate. This fancy phenomenon pulls us to swerve to other elements determining the group identity.
说了半天，这段就是一个过渡段，说明仪式和文化并非定义身份的唯一因素

Besides rituals and ceremonies, there have much more key factors which serve as preserving the senses of group identity. In Africa below the equator, there lived races who were developing along practically independent lines. 与前面接不上Religions and ethics, in many districts around the world, are the foundations of cultures. For example, the pictures of Arabians are usually combined with the Islamism and Alcoran, while we often link the Chinese with Confucius. Still, we can tell the prudent German and Romantic France in crowd through their talks and behaviors. Maybe more interesting, occupation also can be a representation of certain culture. Gypsy is the classical example here. They are excelled at astrology and fortune-telling. When we get a glance of the person in the street who tries to anticipate the future for you, for the most cases, you will think of Gypsy. In sum, significant as the role of ritual and ceremonies might virtually be, in the representing and defining the culture, there are still other respects that help us to preserve the senses of group identity.

Simply put, to prevent the cultural assimilation into the homogenous world nowadays, a subculture with the unique heritage must be maintained, maybe by way of rituals and ceremonies. Notwithstanding, we should also be circumspect with other aspects that define and distinguish various cultures, helping us embrace the concept of culture, such as religion, language and ethics, which signify our values and beliefs, help us find habitats for our hearts.

修改完~