Culture Values

Vietnamese Culture Values

Allegiance to the family 

Every man's first priority in the Vietnamese culture is the family; everyone strives to bring pride to their family. Anyone's misbehavior is not only taken out on the individual himself, but the rest of the family members (their parents/guardians, siblings, relatives, and ancestors). Also, any fame, success or some sort of achievement brings honor and pride to all the members of the family. The child is taught from early childhood to 'forget about themselves' for their own families sake of welfare and harmony. Vietnamese parents raise their children to always put their parents' and ancestors' importance first, even at their own expense, they must always be ready to make sacrifices for their parents sake, to demonstrate love, respect and care when they are at their old age. 

A good name

In the Vietnamese culture, everyone must have a 'good name', basically having a good reputation. It is a very common  trait families seek to have, and when one has secured a good name for himself, the man is able to command respect and admiration from his acquaintances and friends. In this case a person who is rich and powerful with a bad reputation gains less respect than a man with a good name, regardless of social class. The Vietnamese believe the best thing a man could encounter after leaving this world is being remembered with a good reputation. To acquire a ''good name'', one must have done either three of following: heroic deeds, intellectual achievements, or moral virtues. Most Vietnamese that are part of a family will not only strive to have a good name for their own good, but for their parents and children. 

Love of learning

If you were to look at an old Vietnamese man, you'd notice his great love for knowledge and learning. Or more particularly, sharing his knowledge to his grand children is something he'd enjoy. Vietnamese people seem to have some particular respect and admiration for educated or wise people. More specifically, people associated with knowledge and learning (earned scholarships, writers and such) have always been highly respected and admired not only by students but parents and people from all around the area. Though it is unfortunate that many, many families in Vietnam can't afford education for their child therefore they are forced into working for the family.  In the Vietnamese culture, the love of learning or education represents the act of stepping stones to the social ladder and good opportunities for a future job.

Iceland Family Values

Options

The roles of men and women have changed throughout the years, with women enjoying the same educational and employment opportunities as men. Though these changes in family composition and roles hasn't quite resulted the dramatic change of values. Except the fact that women aren't shamed for wanting a divorce or being a single mother. Which is one of the large contrasts in family values between Iceland and Vietnam; one side, single-motherhood is accepted and the other is single-mothers being shamed. Also, due to the democracy rate has changed significantly, since families are allowed to make their own decisions for the best as well as no one having a specific opinion on it. 

Children aren't considered a duty towards society anymore, but rather for one's life option. The choice of staying childless is very well accepted in Iceland. 

Priorities

Today, both Icelandic men and women continue to value their family over friends, work, leisure time, politics and religion as their very first priority in life. This can be due to the economy in Iceland, though there aren't any major or specific cons regarding the economy, but people have been raised knowing that your job can be taken away from you and all your money but your family will always be there for you. 

Preference

There was a survey taken by parents in Iceland regarding if they could only have one child, would they rather have a girl over a boy. Most answered that it really doesn't matter, however for those giving a direct answer would pick a girl. Preference for a boy is particularly strong in countries in Asia (e.g Vietnam, Thailand, India).