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Name of Institute

My Identity: One Hundred Percent Arab

Name of Student:

Name of Professor:

Name of Course:

Submission Date:
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The objective of this essay is to reflect on the thoughts which are presented by Ralph

Linton in his article “One Hundred Percent American”. With the help of this essay, he

reflects his thoughts regarding the pure identity of the American nation as the people of

America think themselves as hundred percent pure in terms of their culture, customs, norms

and traditions (Linton, Ralph). But the view which is reflected by Ralph Linton with the help

of practical examples of the daily activities performed by an American citizen and it has been

illustrated that how American culture and norms are borrowed from the other nations. It is

important to consider that the variable of national identity seems to be a single attribute but it

is a combination of different sub-attributes (Linton, Ralph). The remaining parts of the essay

will illustrate that how a national identity is being influenced by the foreign culture

(Hutcheson, John, et al).

If the analysis of American culture and identity with reference to the article of Ralph

is performed than it can be seen that almost every activity of life of American citizen is

derived from foreign culture. Several examples have been presented by Ralph in his article in

this regard (Linton, Ralph). For example, the chair which is used by American was invented

in the Near East. The clothes which are used by a person in different parts of the day

performing different activities all have a reflection of some foreign culture. The food and

drink which is placed in pottery vessels have a reflection of Chinese culture as these pottery

vessels were first used in China. The coffee which is used with meal at breakfast was a plant

first discovered by the Abyssinian Arabs. The key difference here is Arabs will take coffee

without sugar and the Americans will take it with sugar (Linton, Ralph). The Americans may

also use cream in addition to the sugar and it is an approach of making coffee followed by the

locals of Asia Minor. The monetary aspects of the life are also influenced by foreign

countries such as the coins which are used by them for transactional purposes, were invented
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in Lydia. Hence, from this case, it is quite clear that American lifestyle is not that “pure” as it

is thought by the native Americans (Linton, Ralph).

What about the life of an Arab individual? Does he also think the same way the

Americans regarding pure identity? What are the potential differences between the thinking

of an American and Arab citizen regarding the nationality? If the Arab culture is observed, it

can be seen that many of the activities performed by Arabs are influenced by foreign culture

(Collins, Patricia Hill). Key examples can be given of the use of technology in their daily life

style including cell phones and tablets etc. These all inventions are from West and they are

using as a part of their daily life. The lifestyle in other context like choice of clothing, eating

preferences and education are also heavily influenced by West as in Arab countries, several

foreign brands (Samsung, McDonalds and Starbucks) can be found (Khalidi, Rashid, ed). The

technology has revolutionized the continents of Arab countries and after the discovery of oil

reserves in the Gulf region, the exponential growth has been observed during the last decades

but much of this development is dependent on the foreign intervention. It reflects to the idea

that has been suggested by Ralph Linton that there is no such thing as a pure national identity

and the culture of a country has its connections with other cultures as well (Choueiri, Youssef

M).

The conclusion of this discussion based on the article of Ralph Linton can be made in

way that the cultural and national identity is an important aspect of a person’s life and on a

collective scale, for a nation, the national identity means a lot as it gives a nation the sense of

recognition. This recognition is although solely and purely not dependent on a single culture

but is a mix of different cultures and identities over the period of time and then emerging as

one specific identity. The idea presented by Ralph Linton nearly a century ago is still true as

it has been affirmed with the help of literature that pure national identity is a vague term and

one must need to narrow the concept. A person can define what is meant by “pure national
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identity” and “One Hundred Percent Arab” so to make sure that he can distinguish himself

among others on the basis of national identity.

References

Linton, Ralph. "One hundred percent American." (1937).

Hutcheson, John, et al. "US national identity, political elites, and a patriotic press following

September 11." Political Communication, 21.1 (2004): 27-50.

Collins, Patricia Hill. "Like one of the family: race, ethnicity, and the paradox of US national

identity." Ethnic and Racial Studies 24.1 (2001): 3-28.

Khalidi, Rashid, ed. The origins of Arab nationalism. Columbia University Press, 1991.

Choueiri, Youssef M. "Arab nationalism." The Routledge Handbook of Muslim-Jewish

Relations (2016): 317.