Cultural Matrix Overview And Values Essay

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After studying Stan Rummel’s “Greco/Roman Cultural Matrix Overview and Values” sections, our class chose to use the virtue of pietas of the Roman Cultural Matrix to construct a personal reflection paper. I also use the primary source from course website: “Cicero on Duty” in the essay. Pietas is defined that it is “performance of responsibilities to one’s parents, ancestors, relatives, along with deities and the state.” (Stan Rummel hand out) I am not a citizen of American because I am an international student. However, I lived in this country studying for a long time; I seem to be “almost like a citizen.” As a citizen, I have to obey the rules of the country where I live. I should also fulfill all my responsibilities such as voting
(if I could vote), paying taxes, etc. I have to treat everyone around me respectfully, politely and fairly. Moreover, I cannot do anything that can be harmful to the society where I live. I am a first-born child in my family; I have an important responsibility to my sister and my parents. As an oldest child, I am usually given the responsibility of baby-sitting and taking care of the house. I prepare breakfast for my sister because my parents have to work early. I tutor her with all her homework. I also help her organize her schedule between studying and playing time. What I do with my sister is very helpful to my parents. They can concentrate on their work without worrying a lot about my sister. Besides that, I am willing to do everything when my mom and dad need me. However, I will talk to my parents about the expectations and responsibilities that I feel are unfair or too much for me to handle. I am a Catholic.
As a worshipper of God, Jesus, everything I do must fit within the rules of the church. For example, I go to church every Sunday. I will only get married one time in my life and cannot be divorced from my husband. Following the rule, when I get married to a person in front of a priest, I have a contract for life with that person in front of God and cannot break that contract. However, the rules of church sometimes contrast with the society. There is a rule about killing people; I cannot kill another person. But if I have to kill my enemy in war, am I a guilty person in front of God? I used to ask this question to a priest and he said: “no” because I have to do that to protect myself and my country. If something like this happens, I can make a decision that sit well with my conscience. I will not do anything that goes against my conscience. The virtue of pietas is true for our society. When a person lives in a society, he or she has some responsibilities for one role of his or her life. He or she can be a doctor, a student, a mother, a priest, etc. Even if a person is a president, he or she at least has to perform the responsibilities of a president to his or her citizens. Pietas can help a person to override the acts of selfish
emotion. “Group-think occurs within groups of people, in which the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives.” (Wikipedia) I sometimes follow a group-think mentality when I have a large group of about five or six members. I do not want to conflict with other members of the groups. It makes me feel uncomfortable when my thinking is outside the group. I know that my agreeableness is detrimental to critical thinking. This shows a lack of leadership talent since my major is business management; I have to improve my talent in group-think. I must develop more confidences in my decisions. Through the study of Stan Rummel’s Greco/Roman cultural Matrix Overview and Values, I can understand that there are many similarities between our modern society and ancient society. I also have more knowledge about art, music, culture, rules and religious tradition in the ancient time.