Different cultures around the world are often very different. Great differences exist between Jordan and America, for example. Besides the usual categories of language, food, and clothing, some differences go much deeper. The biggest differences include religion, appearance, and wealth. In one culture, these issues define the person, while in the other, they are just accessories of the personality.
In Jordan, the important things are beliefs, how well someone dresses, and how much money each person has. What is on the inside of a person does not matter unless the outside looks nice, too. If the outside is ugly, or fat, or not well dressed, no one will take the time to get to know that person. It does not stop at not getting to know someone. Others who look better will also make life bad for those who do not look good. They will call them names and make their lives miserable to the point that some people commit suicide.
Most Jordanians are Sunni Muslims. In general, the Sunni Muslims hate the Shiite Muslims. This is because of a disagreement many years ago. Long ago, the Shiite Muslims killed a religious leader, not realizing he was a good man. Even today, the Sunni hate the Shiite for this reason. Many Sunni Muslims are afraid of Shiite Muslims and believe they are all killers, like the Shiite Muslims who killed the Imam. Because of this, life is very hard for the Shiite Muslims in Jordan.
Money makes friends in Jordan. If someone has money, even if they are a bad person, everyone will want to befriend this person. Even the nicest person imaginable finds it hard to make friends if they have no money. In this society, everyone seems masked. No one can see the true person, and no one wants to see the true person. They only care what the mask looks like instead of the person behind the mask.
On the other hand, America looks more at the inside. Although some people say that it matters what people wear and how they look, everyone has an equal chance. The most important thing is the heart inside of the person, rather than the face the person has. In America, people feel free to be themselves. With this freedom, people have more power to stand up for themselves and to say and do what they think is right, even if they are not considered beautiful or good-looking.
In the US, people choose their own religion. Anyone can choose whatever religion they choose to be. People can even choose to not have a religion. The people of America tell other people what they believe without fear of what might happen. They have a voice and have pride in what they do or do not believe. The people here know that they do not have to be afraid of something happening to them if they say what they believe.
Money is very important in America, as it is in Jordan. The difference is why money is important. In America, life is expensive. People need money to have a home, to buy food, and to get an education. It takes money to get an education, and people get educated so that they can make more money. However, if people do not have a lot of money, but they work hard, they can still have respect. In Jordan, it does not matter how hard someone works unless they also have money.
Religion, money, and looks matter everywhere in the world. However, these things should not be the way in which people are judged. What is on the inside is the thing that matters. There is no one in the whole world who is perfect. For this reason, people should not look down on each other, but should instead work together for the good of everyone. In these aspects, Jordan and America are very different from each other. Jordanian culture needs to learn these points and change the way they see others, so that everyone can have an equal chance for a satisfying life.
