“Anglo vs Chicano: Why?” by Arthur L. Campa

The differences between Anglo American and the Hispanic cultures are implicit in the conceptual content of the languages of these two civilizations, and their value systems stem from their cultural background. Arthur L. Campa talked about the heritage of the two cultures and how most modern day people express the differences amongst English and Spanish people. The Hispanic culture began in the Southwest before the English even step foot on the New World. Physically and culturally, the English and the Spanish both had robust traditions and were resistant to mix their new races. The characteristics of Hispanic people is the deeply ingrained in all walks of their life. Their attitude led to a deficiency in social qualities based on collective standards, an attitude that Hispanic do not consider negative, because it manifests a measure of resistance to standardization of individual freedom.

Initially the Anglo-American, with their diverse cultures, came to America searching for a new land to conquer, natural resources, and in the case of the missionaries, a new soul to gain for the Kingdom of Heaven. The Anglo-Americans accepted everyone, it was a place of new beginnings and safety for the outcasts. Anglo-Americans who achieve a measure of success and security by achieving the American dream found themselves with not only a few fixed rules, but cultural demands on them. The concerted plan of action, whether it is business or politics, appeared to be unreasonable for the Anglo-Americans. They had a sense of individualism, nevertheless they accomplished it through action and self-determination. On the other hand, the Hispanic way is based on community and is a culture not of rules and collective standards, but rather in a person’s momentary action. In the contrast, the Anglo-Americans strived for objectively and individualism when choosing a course of action or decision making and the Hispanics strived for respect of others in their tight knit community.

Another source of cultural conflict from the Anglo-American and the Hispanic groups is the difference between being and doing. The Englishmen took responsibility for their own actions and created a new standard for living by doing. The Anglo-American always believed that success equaled material goods. Whereas, the freedom enjoyed by individuality of being made it unnecessary for the Hispanic to strive to be materialistic. Effectiveness and actions were of the utmost importance to the Hispanics, whereas the Americans equaled success with money and valued it at the highest priority in their culture. The Hispanic people disassociated themselves from material things as well as from actions that may challenge a person’s sense of being. The Anglo-American showed great concern for material things and assumed responsibility for their own actions.

The concepts of “good or bad” or “right and wrong” in polite behavior are moral considerations of both the Anglo-American absolutist and Hispanic cultures. Similarly this appeared in both cultures as the share parts of their material substance with others. (Arthur L. Campa) The English and the Hispanic people believed in donating to charity for their needs. The pragmatic Anglo-American contributed frequently to the Red Cross, the United Fund and to a myriad of other associations. The Americans established foundations and often left millions of dollars to the institutions. While the Hispano preferred to give his contribution directly to the recipients, so he can see the person that he or she helped. Both cultures had different actions, but the Anglo and Chino have both productive results from things.