Roberta Zoppo, English II LM, Task 1°, April, 2, 2009

Ireland and Dublin

Excellent, really good.

Aims.

The following paper analyses Irish values, specifically in the area of North Dublin. We are going to find out [This is unusual syntax for an academic paper: usually academics use an impersonal form, not “we”, and they use a simple future “we shall” instead of the more colloquial locution “be going to”. But I am leaving your sentence since you probably want to be the friendly Irish lass that you tried to be at Trinity College, so in that role, your sentence is fine.] what characterises Irish world view.

1 a: values

Gap between present and past: modern Ireland presents a deep gap between the present and the past. This is particularly evident in Dublin, the capital city, among young people who seem to have forgotten the way of living of their parents. All those changes have taken place in a relatively short period (more or less in the past 50 years) and today there is a huge difference between Dublin, where the American way of living is generally seen as a model to follow, and the rest of the country, where traditional values such as the Sunday Mass continues to occupy an important place in the social life. Despite of its poor past, Ireland faithfully looks at toward the future confidently and works hardly to reach the economic level of the other rich counties like the USA.

1 b: cultural dimensions.

Follow the tradition------------------------------------------------------------------------Look at the future

Japan India Ireland Jamaica Italy Ireland(Dublin) UK USA

Religion--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Worldly values

Jamaica India Spain Japan USA Italy Ireland UK Netherlands

National economicsy-------------------------------------------------------------International economicsy

Cuba Venezuela India Jamaica Ireland Italy UK USA

1c: maxims.

“ I’m no more longer poor: I can buy everything I need... at last!”.

“We believe in our potential and we can transform our difficult past in a shiny future”

2a: values.

National pride: Gaelic roots are a pillar of Irish culture because they distinguish Irish people from the British “invaders”. The Irish consider themselves as pure Irish Celts, not as Saxons or English. To underline this aspect, we have an Irish blessing that says Bless your little Irish heart and every other Irish part. [I didn't know that one!] National pride is the leitmotiv of the rebel songs like Go on home British soldiers go on home, that remembers the British occupation and celebrates the bravery of the Irish rebels. However, Britons are still present in the Country (Ulster) and British culture has influenced Irish lifestyle (the Irish drink tea at 5 o’clock p.m. for example), so the freedom they have reached in the 1916 is not a real freedom. [The real lack of freedom is not due to the British soldiers in Ulster; it is due to the control of the Irish economy by British financiers.]

2b :cultural dimensions.

National pride--------------------------------------------------------No national pride clan identity

USA UK Jamaica Ireland Italy Jamaica

Irish are conscious of their diversity from the British and are conscious that, although the British exercise influence, they can not be like them. [unclear antecedents]

Self consciousness-------------------------------------------------------------------Self unconsciousness

REMEMBER: When making a cultural dimension, do NOT use a value and the negation of that value. Use two different and opposing values. This is because cultures are not based on “not being something”: they are based on seeing as positive the values they profess, whatever YOU may think of those values. So in the previous example, you should not say “national pride” and “no national pride” but, rather, you should see the opposite POSITIVE value, in this case “clan pride.” In the present example, instead of “consciousness” and “unconsciousness,” you should oppose “self consciousness” with a positive but opposite value, like this: “we do not consider ourselves and our nation as important, we are all just grains of sand in the vast ocean of humanity”, i.e. Internationalism.

Self awareness ------------------------------------------------------ internationalism (or self-effacement)

Ireland UK USA Jamaica Italy

2b: maxims.

“After a long period of slavery period I’m finally free”

“Invaders still control me, but I prefer to think I’m totally free”.

3a: values.

Melancholy: melancholy surrounds every part of Irish lifestyle, even though it is hidden by the lightheartedness. Folk music expresses this emotional status through the narration of unhappy stories, where destiny triumphs and humans loose. One of the most famous Irish pub songs, precisely a Dublin pub song, is Molly Malone, where the young girl’s life is destroyed by an incurable illness. The proverb May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live is a warning not to ask to your destiny more than you can really obtain because life is too short to have everything you will want. On the other hand, everyone will have the reward of his actions in the Kingdom of Heaven, as written in the Holy Writings.

3b: cultural dimensions.

Control on the of destiny--------------------------------------------------------Controlled by the destiny

USA UK Australia Italy Ireland Jamaica

[Interesting dimension... you could put many Arabic-language and oriental countries on the right.]

Self power ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- Other power

USA UK Australia Italy Ireland Jamaica

3b: maxims.

“Take it easy”

“Don’t’ waste time thinking at up useful things: life is short”

4a: values.

Social relationships: Irish society swings between collectivism and individualism. The members of the same family help each other but everyone must look to after her/himself. The power in the family is, however, not equally distributed. It seems that men are more powerful than women: for this reason, women have to work harder to reach their goal.

4b: social dimensions.

Collectivism-------------------------------------------------------------------------Individualism

India Jamaica Australia Ireland Italy UK Australia USA

Gender diversity-----------------------------------------------------------------Gender equality

USA Ireland Italy Jamaica UK Australia Sweden

Jamaica Ireland Italy USA UK Australia Sweden

4c: maxims.

“I have always to look at myself even though my family supports me”

“I’m a woman and fight against men to obtain what I want.”

5c: values.

Friendship: socialising, especially in pubs, is felt as a way to open yourself to the world. This statement has, on the other hand, another meaning. Even if the Irish want to know meet new people, they defend their privacy. The culture of drinking is widespread all over the Country and several an infinite number of jokes speak about this and the pub life in general. On the other hand, the irony of the jokes hides the sense of melancholy and the precariousness of life, to which the enjoyment offered by a night out is only a small parenthesis.

[Well put. I see you are acquiring the Irish sensitivity.]

5b: cultural values.

Open-minded----------------------------------------------------------------------Close-minded

USA Australia Italy Jamaica Italy Ireland UK India

Expansivness-Extroversion-------------------------------------------------------------Introversion

USA Australia Jamaica Italy Ireland UK

5c: maxims.

“Drinking in group is better than drinking alone (but it's ok to drink alone, too)”

“I have a lot of friends now but tomorrow I can wish to be alone”.

References.

http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_ireland.shtml

http://www.dublinwritersfestival.com/blog/?p=9oo:

http://www.ireland-fun-facts.com/irish-blessings.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdxLxnhGnvo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uug2WY3qGgg

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Jokes/Jokes1.html

An excellent analysis, very thoughtful and sensitive. And also very creative, to the the extent that you invented some useful new cultural dimensions. Too bad your bibliography is so short and lacking in scholarly publications (http://scholar.google.come besides the National Library).