You can decide to leave that particular subculture and join another at the drop of a hat, like many a goth before you. Of course, it’s not as simple as that. Culture gets imposed on people too, whether it’s a child being brought up with his or her parents’ religion, or an adult trapped in the culture of work. Wherever and whoever you are, attempt to complete the following thought experiment: Think about the country you live in. Make a list of all the aspects of that country’s cultures you can think of. (You’ll notice we’re using the plural. However you look at it, there’s more than one culture in any country you care to mention.) Bear in mind, your list will most likely be a different list to anyone else’s. There are no right or wrong answers in this invisible quiz. Culture is whatever you want it to be. Now take away the border. Imagine what would happen to the cultures of that geographical region if the border disappeared overnight. Nothing, right?
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