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Ehrin Yates
Knudson
UWRT 1103-004
Sept. 12th, 2016
Absorbing vs. Thinking
After doing the readings assigned so far, I noticed a group of them were centralized
around a general topic: What we are taught to think and what we actually think. The idea of
cultural myths stood out most to me because I was never really aware that certain assumptions I
have had were influenced by something other than my own thoughts and ideas, but mainly by
society. Based on the readings, Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths, What is
Literacy?, What Every American Should Know, and Why and How to Study American Myths, I
created five interview questions that illustrated the main points of the readings which stood out
most to me and asked my boyfriend, my sister, and her boyfriend to answer them because they
are the people I have been spending the most time around for the past two years. I wanted to
show that I experience a lot of similar things with them, but can have very different opinions and
thoughts.
Collectively, these readings showed me that everyone processes, learns, and thinks about
things differently. The reading, Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths, describes this
well by saying critical thinking is difficult to put into practice, because it requires getting
outside your own skin and seeing the world from multiple perspectives(2). I think the multiple
perspectives are representative of other peoples point of views. All five questions are listed just
above the interviews which have been included. The first question I created was inspired
specifically by the reading, What Every American Should Know, because Hirsch puts the
American Dream on his list of what every American should know. However, I believe this is a
cultural myth which is different for everyone based on their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas
of what success is. The reading, Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths, briefly

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associates it with money and success, but it doesnt have to be about that. I asked question
number two because these readings give multiple definitions and descriptions of the term
cultural myth which vary widely. What I may associate it with could be completely different
from other individuals associations and thoughts. I used the quote Myths have tremendous
unseen power to shape perceptions, understandings, interpretations, values, and ultimately
behavior from the article, Why and How to Study Cultural Myths, and asked what cultural myth
they would like to see change and why for question number three to look more deeply into how
cultural myths effect people. Question four asked for opinions on challenging ways of society
because of the banking concept of education discussed in What is Literacy?, and the power of
cultural myths discussed in Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths. The banking
concept of education especially reinforced my belief that learning is different for everyone, and
therefore society should not be able to force one conventional way of teaching and learning onto
the population. The reading, What Is Literacy?, defines cultural literacy as The ability to
accumulate and employ the knowledge, habits, and codes that are characteristic of those who are
cultured (69). This is why I asked question five, because after doing the reading, it seems
obvious to me that common cultural literacy is necessary, but I wondered if it was this clear to
others who did not read the article. Overall, reading the answers I got to these questions and
comparing them with my own thoughts helped me to practice the kind of critical thinking
described throughout Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths.
Interview Questions
1. How would you describe the American Dream?
2. What do you think a cultural myth is? Give an example.
3. Based on the following quote from the article, Why and How to Study American Myths, what
cultural myth would you most like to see change and why?

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Myths have tremendous unseen power to shape perceptions, understandings,

interpretations, values, and ultimately behavior.
4. Do you think it is important to challenge certain ways of society and why or why not?
5. Do you think it is important for Americans to have a common cultural literacy and why or why
not? If yes, what is one thing you would like to be included?
Interview One: Paige Yates
1. To me, the American Dream is having the ability to pursue the anything is possible
mentality. This is something that is/should be unique for every American. I think a lot of
this depends on what you are taught is/isnt successful as a young child.
2. I think a cultural myth sounds like it would be a stereotype about or formed by a
common group of people. An example might be that Mexican culture is solely based on
the types of food they eat.
3. The cultural myth I would like to see change is that Americans have a selfish culture that
revolves around ownership and pride of that ownership. I would like the rest of the world
and even America itself to see that the people of the U.S. especially are not as bad as they
seem and everyone is not alike.
4. Yes! You absolutely HAVE to break boundaries in order to meet the goals you set for
yourself.
5. Yes, this is important for having and maintaining respect, honor, and cultural norms in a
society. It is what brings everyone together instead of splitting them up. I would want
everyone to understand the American flag, not just knowing what it looks like but
understanding what it means, how it came to be, etc.
Interview Two: Dieon Clontz
1. When I picture the American Dream, I think of money, a loving wife and kids, having
nice things, a man cave, and overall living comfortably. Everyones perception is

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different, which is weird because I always hear the term used as if everyone sees it the
same way.
2. I think it might be an idea that is just assumed or comes naturally when you think about
it. It might be synonymous with a stereotype. Ive honestly never really heard of it. A
stereotype that sticks out to me today is that all white people are racist, especially white
cops.
3. I would really want to change the mindset people have that all white cops are racist or
out to get the minorities, predominantly black people. This is something that is really
important to me and really drove my decision to become a police officer instead of a
firefighter. I just want all people to come together and be happy and feel protected instead
of living in fear or with hate. I really hope to make a difference in changing this myth.
4. Yes it is very important or else many people will continue to go down the wrong paths
until it is too late to turn it around or people will be afraid to express/be themselves
because of what they think everyone will think.
5. Yes, this would help everyone to be on the same level. All Americans should know the
phrase Treat people the way you want to be treated in order to learn how to respect
each other.
Interview Three: Dylan Davis
1. The first thing that comes to my mind about the American Dream is rags to riches. I
think of someone who comes from small or simple means and really makes something of
themselves. Sort of like nothing to everything. For example, it could be when a small
town farmer thinks of a new way to increase the yield of their crop and becomes a wellknown millionaire.

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2. I think a cultural myth is a story or idea accepted and important to a large group of
people. It is not always true or false, but is kept alive by the people who believe in it. An
example would be the story of Noah and the Ark.
3. The rags to riches myth of the American dream needs to change because you dont
always have to come from significant poverty to immense wealth. Many times, people
come from a less extreme level of poorness to their idea of a purposeful life and that
should be enough.
4. Yes, because if society is not changed, then a lot of people will be denied their true
selves. Society will be less inclined to succeed as a whole if not pushed to evolve. If
social norms are not challenged, we will be inclined to become stagnant.
5. Yes, common literacy, especially culturally, is very important so that people will be
tolerant of one another and understand how others need to be treated. It may be an
incentive for people to learn from one another if they are already have a basic level of
understanding. It should be included that no one be condemned by others for their
religious beliefs. This is important so that everyone feels accepted no matter what they
personally believe.
Interview one is from my sister, Paige Yates, who is a freshman at UNCC and is currently
undecided on her major. Interview two is from my boyfriend, Dieon Clontz, who is currently
working and is beginning the Basic Law Enforcement Training program at Central Piedmont
Community College in January. The third interview is from my sisters boyfriend, Dylan Davis,
who is a junior at UNCC and is majoring in accounting. He transferred from a community
college in Asheville after completing his general education requirements. Even though we all
have similar interests and spend a lot of time around each other, we all have different opinions.
For example, when Paige, Dieon, and Dylan were given the interview questions, they all wrote
different responses. Personally, I think this supports the argument in the reading, What is

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Literacy?, that in the banking system of education, filling students with information and
expecting them to learn from retaining that information, doesnt allow them to do any critical
thinking, but only allows for memorization. This coincides with the statement from What is
Literacy?, The capability of banking education to minimize or annul the students creative
power and to stimulate their credulity serves the interests of their oppressors, who care neither to
have the world revealed nor to see it transformed(71). What I took from this statement is that
those who keep designing and enforcing education this way do not want students to have
opinions, ideas, or new discoveries about something but rather act as receptacles of data.
I agree with the point made in What Every American Should Know, that we do need common
cultural literacy for all Americans and so did Paige, Dieon, and Dylan. I especially agree with
what the article says, Americans need to be able to have a broad base of common knowledge so
that diversity can be most fully activated., because although we are a very diverse nation, many
people dont fully grasp what that means or how to incorporate diversity (9). The best point made
in this reading is that the list for cultural literacy needs to be something made by everyone. This
is the only way that all ages, ethnicities, backgrounds, etc. are represented. Diversity is a major
component of America, and one of my favorite things because it gives us the ability to appreciate
different types of people.
What I found very interesting about the responses I received to question three is that the
responses correlated a lot with the backgrounds of each person and what their goals are. For
example, Dieon discussed wanting the current myth about law enforcement and racism to change
and is becoming a police officer to become part of that change. He also grew up in a community
where there were many different ethnicities present, and was able to appreciate that from a young
age. This correlates with the reading, Why and How to Study American Myths, where the quote,
And its not surprising to find a little toddler intently staring at a television screen - which

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functions something like a sacred shrine in the idealized family - unconsciously absorbing a vast
network of national myths, describes myths as being imprinted upon people from a young age
(2). This reiterates the point of background having major influence over how and why certain
people think of myths differently than others.
Overall, cultural myths, like society, must constantly change in order to accurately represent
America as a whole and not just as a certain group of people. The responses about challenging
society and about changing a particular myth give many reasons for this. Paige mentioned
breaking boundaries to reach goals and wanting everyone to see the true America. Dieon
mentioned freedom of self-expression and individuals coming together instead of living with
hate and fear. Dylan mentioned evolving so we do not become stagnant and the importance of
practicing tolerance as a culture, especially with religion. I would say that society needs to reflect
acceptance and learning as a two way street instead of negativity and exclusion. In other words,
you shouldnt have to conform to a certain type in order to succeed or feel accepted. I
personally agree with Dieon in that I would love to see people let go of their fear and hate which
I think stems from the way society is and our lack of common cultural knowledge. All of these
readings cluster together around common issues and stress the need for us to actually think the
way we do as individuals instead of how we are taught to think. Thinking Critically, Challenging
Cultural Myths does this by urging people, students especially to think in new ways and dig
deeper, instead of just being fed information and only scratching the surface. What Every
American Should Know does this by demonstrating the need for a common base through cultural
literacy for all Americans, especially through the idea that this literacy needs to come from
everyone. Why and How to Study American Myths does this by giving reasons for the need to
learn more about cultural myths and studying them separately from psychology or facts even. It
also portrays the importance that people need to know about these myths in order to create

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change. What Is Literacy? opens the eyes of individuals to a new way of defining literacy and
depicting the many different types. It does a great job of digging deep into the cultural myth and
rut of banking education and shows why it needs to change. Together, all of these share great
points which helped me to learn how to think on my own and to challenge ideas rather than just
accepting them. It also has reiterated to me the importance of collaboration and finding the inner
meanings of just about everything. It was really interesting and helpful for my reflection process
to see and think about others points of view and interpretations of important issues through the
three interviews I conducted and included.