Comparisons of Chinese and Westerners Cultural Characteristics

Comparison of Chinese and Westerners Cultural Characteristics
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Comparisons of Chinese and Westerners Cultural Characteristics
Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard Appelbaum, and Deborah Carr, the authors of the book Introduction to Sociology, provide an authoritative introduction to the basic concepts, research, and significant theories in a streamlined way. According to Carr, Giddens, Duneier, and Appelbaum (2018), human beings have varied beliefs, social practices, values, and norms. Giddens and co-authors reveal the various cultural characteristics that determine variation in behaviors. The authors utilize a four-part chapter structure for the book to expedite easy reading. Importantly, they provide a detailed discussion of unanswered questions at the end of each chapter to highlight the influence of sociological imagination and help the readers have a comprehensive understanding of the complex society.
Notably, society has different forms of stratification based on variation in cultural characteristics and social classes. The Chinese have unique social rankings of socioeconomic tiers based on race, income, power, and education. Notably, individuals with fewer resources are less powerful and represent lower layers in society. In most instances, people believe that everyone has equal chances of achieving success in life (Carr et al., 2018). However, people have varied opportunities, which determines the existence of social ranks and the control that people have in their various social standings. The Chinese have systematic inequalities based on classes, membership, and economic power. Although people can formulate effective ways of addressing disparities, society supports social stratification. Giddens and co-authors reveal the sociological perspective of cultural characteristics that determine people’s relationships and behaviors through the existing social stratifications. The Chinese and Westerners have notable similarities and differences based on marriage, family setting, religion, gender roles, socialization process, power structures, social institutions, social change, and individualism/collectivism.
Marriage
Family and marriage are fundamental structures in society that determine the different forms of interactions that exist. Marriage is one of the unique and legally recognized social contracts that exist between two individuals. Over the years, cultures have developed a variety of marriage patterns, such as same-sex marriage and opposite-sex marriage patterns. Notably, same-sex marriage is one of the regular practices in the United States. The U.S Supreme Court issued a landmark to grant same-sex couples a constitutional right to marry. As a result, the overall number of people who favor the marriage pattern has increased steadily. Arguably, the advocates of same-sex marriage cite love as the ultimate purpose of marriage as opposed to procreation.
Conversely, same-sex marriage is a despised practice in Chinese culture. Instead, the country only supports heterosexual relationships. The spokesperson of the parliament’s legal affairs argued that only heterosexual marriage suits the cultural and historical conditions of China. However, the Ch...