Chapter 1, Ryo Tanitsu

Chapter 1 describes mainly the overview of culture such as what culture is and how culture affect our personality and society. It mentions that our patterns of thinking, feeling, and potential acting are acquired mainly in early childhood, because people in that time are most susceptible to learning and assimilating. I think that it is true, but in my opinion we can acquire the new practices even later in life. Of course it is more painful to acquire new customs and practices in adulthood, than when we are childhood. We tend to stick with original practice and hate to change our lives as we grow because the value such as the pride or relationship with others is more important in adulthood than to meet our needs itself. Adults worry about what others think of them and they are good at going along with others. However, we can change our practices even in adulthood if we believe that we can change them. The most difficult obstacle to change our practice is our one-sided assumption that adults cannot change unlike children. They tend to place restriction on themselves, but there are many cases that adults change their practices such as the fact the elderly people go to university again or some people acquire new language.

Therefore, we should challenge to improve our ability or change our practice if we feel it is necessary by dismissing our stereotype that adults cannot change.