Cultural Patterns Shaping Modern Civilization

The global infrastructure we know today, stemmed from cultural

patterns that have evolved since the beginning of civilization. The
growth can be noted individually, to all the aspects that define a
culture, such as religion, beliefs, ideas, etc. Cultural significance
defines a location more than just its topography, you are able to
visualize the people who live there and what values they share in their
own unique version of society.
This past summer my family and I travelled to Amsterdam to
celebrate my uncles 50th birthday. I was expecting to find a culturally
rich country, far more diverse then anything Id known in the U.S.
Unfortunately I was let down to find it wasnt that different as far as
ideas and beliefs go. The Netherlands is an important part of the global
economy as their location makes them a port country. All sorts of trade
comes out of the country, and over the past 300 years, Amsterdam
specifically, has existed, the rich economy has brought a influx of
people from all sorts of cultural backgrounds to a country just half the
size of Maine. This hoard of different ideas and beliefs in one place has
lead The Netherlands over time to grow and become possibly the most
liberal country in the world.
This realization lead me to reverse my thoughts and ask myself
what countrys reject global influence, and how do their citizens and
government policy function differently because of it? Immediately I

thought of countrys in the Middle East, specifically Iran. Culturally Iran

doesnt receive much global influence; they have stayed true to their
roots, which can mostly be credited to their strong beliefs in Islam. Not
to say that the core beliefs of Islam has lead to the civil unrest with the
government but more likely the lack of outside influence, starting with
the factor of religion being completely one sided. It is against the law
to practice any religion other than Islam in Iran; this plays a huge role
in the stagnation of the economy. Even though religion is just one trait
that makes up a culture, people hold their God so close to their heart,
its difficult for them to open up to other religious beliefs. This leads to a
chain effect causing governments to grow ignorant and defend what
they know and believe even if it is unbeneficial as a whole.
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The aspects that make up a culture completely dictate a regions

beliefs and ideas. In my opinion a dominant religion in one region can

cause the population to behave differently, negatively effecting the
economy and political structure. On the other hand regions that are
open to different ideas and religions are able to work out problems and
mesh their ideas together in turn to benefit both the political structure
and the economy.