Brazilian and American cultures

Brazil and the USA: a cultural contrast

Countries in the world are very different in many ways, mainly what concerns culture. This essay, specifically, is about the differences between Brazilian and American cultures and it will focus on three topics: food, sports and music.

Brazilian food is more healthy and nutritious than American food. In Brazil people eat more salad and vegetables and also more fruits. Besides, these kinds of food are cheaper in Brazil than the US. On the other hand, American people eat more unhealthy food such as sandwiches, fried and fatty food and they drink soft drink a lot. As a consequence, some diseases like diabetes, obesity, high pressure are increasing among American adult and child population. 

 The second different topic between Brazil and the US culture is sport. Although people in these two counties love sports, spend many hours in front of TV watching a match and cheering; and in spite of they have their sport’s idol, the sports aren’t the same. Brazilian people are “addicted” to soccer. This is the most important and famous sport in the country. However, American people are very interested in basketball, baseball, golf and rugby. Moreover, American sports team have a mascot and a cheerleader in the stadium on the day of the match.

The third difference is about music. Even tough Brazil and the US are cradles of many kinds of music, and they receive influences one of the other, their music is different. The typical Brazilian music are more agitated and dancing such as axé, samba, forró, bossa nova, sertanejo and MPB. The typical American music is, for example, jazz, blues, soul, hip hop, rock and roll, heavy metal, country, gospel music and American popular music. In fact, we know that there is an exchange of these kinds of music between these two countries due to globalization. In other words, nowadays, this music segregation isn’t strict. However, in contrast with Brazilian musical industry, American musical industry always launches a pop star or a rock star with international success.

As a final point Brazil and the US can share some similarities, but they have strong cultural differences, which are common among countries around the world since cultural issue is related to specific country history and traditions.

Live on the edge

Passing over your own limits is the recipe to live your best live

To live is to take risks in every area and in every moment. Since we aren’t sure about anything, we make choices with a certain risk level. The big question is: Don’t we take more risks when we make nothing, be stuck in our self-indulgence?

Living on the edge is like continuously living like it is your last day on earth. Risk-takers live life like they never have before. They do something awesome and invigorating, do an extreme sport etc. For them life is too short and everyone should live their life the way they want to live it. Everyone should remember the phrase "Carpe Diem". People should live their life to the fullest. To live this way you'll need: yourself, passion and motivation. You’ll also need to face your fears, confront them and follow excitement. In other words, to live their best life, risk-takers get out of their comfort zone, do something out of the ordinary and then rediscover themselves.  Risk-takers, as mountain bikers, race pilots, diver, or skater many times take risk their lives for amusement, other times to expand the horizon.They risk their lives--sometimes for fun, sometimes to broaden the entire species' horizons. Ask any mountain biker, racecar driver, high-board diver, or extreme skateboarder why they take part in their respective sports, and most of them willmention the word "fun."Another reason to take risks is the meeting with others who do the same sport and consequently have the same ideas.

Taking-risk behavior has been object of many speculations. In general, we think this kind of behavior includes surfing, skate boarding, bungee jumping, parachuting, climbing, rappelling, snow boarding, motocross, rafting etc. Actually, taking risks also includes acts like unprotected sexual relationships, games, drugs, alcohol and breaking laws. The reasons for these behaviors are complex and it can be different for different people – some of them are: colleagues’ pressure, to call attention, to deal with problems or to escape from unhappy situations, to prove for yourself or others that you are responsible for your own actions.

It has been more and more common we see people who take risk in an intentional way, seeking financial income. The idea of investments is connected to risk. There are investors with great fascination for this kind of danger, who are always searching for good results.

Many people who like to take risk are defined by a strong desire to control their own fate. They are avid defenders to live life to the fullest. Risk-takers aren’t interested in dangerous activities by itself, but to live the danger that they can control. They have a strong necessity to control every area or their lives.

Some people can consider more risky to give up a job or to try a new career, or to break up a marriage and other relationships than parachuting and climbing. These people think this way because these kinds of behavior can lead to dependence and cause personal and financial failure.

A person with a personality searching for emotion, many times looks for a job that involves a high level of risk. There are jobs that demand extraordinary courage or taking risk such as firefighter, police officer, and soldier. The stress and emotion to rescue someone inside a car in fire or persecute a criminal or participate on a dangerous mission are other examples. In other word, there are some jobs that offer the same pleasure and excitement of an extreme sport.

Risk-takers make their life an exciting adventure after another. When you experiment a new behavior you are taking a risk. It can be healthy and a positive way to: test your limits, learn new abilities and experiment new things (inclusively in your work, studies and relationships), increase your self-esteem, assume more independence in your life; in other words, to experiment life to the fullest. Take risks can be funny and give you an adrenaline discharge, but sometimes these risks can affect your well-being and hurt you. Living is to take risks. It’s to assume an attitude of challenging your own limits. The point is that you can’t live with an illusion that we don’t take risks. After all, to live your best life is necessary take little risks.