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In one paragraph, you will consider which institutions shaped who you are. More specifically, you'll choose one institution and examine its influence on you--and question whether you have any role in shaping that institution in turn. For example, how might religion shape your morals, beliefs, sexuality, or approach to relationships and dating?

You are not limited to religion--you can focus on schools, media, or any other institution you're interested in.

And remember, you only need to focus on one institution in your response! For example, if you select religion as an institution and want to explore its impact on shaping your value system, then just focus on religion! You can connect religion to other institutions if you want, but you don't have to!

Some examples of institutions you can consider in terms of how they shaped you as an individual and how you as an individual shape them are:

the family

media

religion

government

capitalism

racism

gender

sexual orientation

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My family has been the cornerstone of my character development. They have brought upon me essential life lessons that have shaped the person I am today. From a young age, my family  instilled in me the significance of embracing myself and others. They have also instilled values such as respect for others and gratitude, which have become the basis of my character. One of the most valuable lessons my family has taught me is to live life proudly and fearlessly, and to love myself as well as others. This has fostered a strong sense of self-awareness and empathy towards others within me. They have also taught me that I can remain strong and happy, even during difficult times. I have learned to value and appreciate the people around me, and to approach life with a positive and giving attitude. My family has truly been amazing in shaping my values, beliefs, and outlook on life, and I am forever grateful for their influence.

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As a kid my mother raised me with christian beliefs and we would regularly go to church. Now that ive grown I still somewhat believe in the religion and respect christians. The religion shaped my morals and actions with trying to accommodate rules of the bible. I was always aware of her influence on my beliefs knowing that following the religion wasnt quite for me. As I got older I started to move away from the church because we eventually stoped going so regularly. I also knew that my lifestyle would conflict with the norms of christianity so I stopped thinking of myself as a christian. Along with my moms religious influence on me in my earlier years of my life, at a certain point I also decided myself I wouldn't want it to influence me anymore.

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The Bible is a core tool for christians to live by that influence their morality, thoughts and actions. It has set rules for whats a sin (wrong or immoral decision) and whats not. Using the set rules and learning from the story’s of others told in the bible create a set path for Christians to follow that grant them salvation and give them a ticket to heaven. Lots of normal practices for the average person such as drinking, being a homosexual or having sex before marriage is said in the Bible to be sinful behavior. Following the Bibles guidlines may be a huge challenge for some people in the world. Personally its not a huge issue for me but I definitely wouldn't want to disrespect the church by claiming to be christian and half heartily commit to the religion if I don’t t plan on letting the views of the Bible influence my decisions.

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My mother used to take me to church every week when I was a child, and I completed my baptism there. Later, when I was around 14 or 15, I completed my catechism. However, religion is not that important to me, even though I still go to church and believe in it. I enjoy attending church with my mother and family, but I feel that some people believe that the LGBTQ+ community is undeserving of God or anything similar because I identify as gay, among other things. However, the things that I see in the media are so wrong that they are killing LGBTQ+ people because they are drag queens or change into women or men. I just think that people should respect other people's opinions about what they have to say about people doing this and that. Some churches refuse to welcome LGBTQ+ individuals because they identify as gay or transgender. I want people to accept that their son or daughter identifies as gay, lesbian, or transgender. It was difficult for me to tell my mother that I was gay, and I was afraid the church would expel me from their community. I needed God when I moved to NYC, as I was living with my father through difficult times, and I just wanted people to be open to God.

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My family is one institution that, in my opinion, helped to shape me. Particularly, my grandmother. My grandmother, in my opinion, has had a significant impact on me. My grandmother was a harsh, non affectionate  and tough person when I was growing up. She's never been satisfied with anything, and she never is. She held views such as the concept that even if your family memebers are vile to you, you should still communicate with them. Not matter how rude and disrespectful they may be, she also held the opinion that you should respect your elders, and so on. Being a people-pleaser, I obeyed her rules religiously as a child. However, as I grew older, I came to the realization that I would never want to think like my grandma and actually I highly disagree with all of her beliefs. She had an enormous influence on my life, making me realize that I must break my grandma's generational curse with my own family in the future because I never want anyone to experience the same difficulty she's caused to people.

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My family and racism are institutions that have shaped who I am. Growing up being one of the only Asian Americans in my neighborhood, it was difficult for me to understand why my culture was so different in every single way. One thing that stood out to me while growing up is that in Asian culture, it is difficult to express our feelings/love, appreciation or even share physical affection with one another. No one points it out or questions why that’s so— it’s just an unwritten rule in our community. I don’t recall the last time I shared a hug with my older brother or even with my dad. It is not at all by any bad means but we simply share our love in ways that are non verbal or physical. I think subconsciously as I grew up, this unwritten rule became engraved into my brain. I didn't realize my culture influenced these traditional norms to me because it was a natural occurrence to me since birth. I think it's also important for me to share that my mom told me she wasn't raised that way. However, the difference between her and I was that I was born in America while she wasn't. I believe there is an influence of Americanized culture that I didn't take into account before that has also shaped me and my family's perception of love and what it means to "show it".

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One institution that influenced me is my family, especially my parents. My mother and father are complete polar opposites. Sometimes it amazes how they’re still together since high school. My mother raised me to always treat people the way you would want to be treated and to basically be a people pleaser. However my father believes you should always be yourself and to never act like someone you aren't.  It was very hard being a people pleaser because it was always making them happy and never myself. It was also just as hard to be who I truly am because some people wouldn't really like that part of me. This shaped me into the person I am now because These two people made me realize that no matter who you are, people are still going to find something to either hate you or absolutely love you no matter who you turn out to be.

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One institution that has influenced me is my family. Growing up in a West Indian household has shaped a lot of my beliefs, sexuality, and approach to dating. On my mom's side of the family, they are very accepting of my sexuality. My dad's side of the family tolerates it because I am family. As I got older with my sexuality I haven't been able to publicly display affection with my partner because I know it would make some West Indian people uncomfortable like my dad. When I was younger I was very sensitive and emotional and would get disciplined because I was crying with no intent or give them a reason. As I got older it's been hard to express myself or be vulnerable with my partner. My morals have been shaped by my family to eat, talk, greet, and display myself a certain way. It has trained me to have a default way of greeting even if people don't respond, don't eat from everybody's house even if you're hungry, don't put your elbows on the table, and use specific spoons and forks. Overall, my voice has been robbed because you must stay out of big people's conversation or watch your mouth, so there was no speaking how I feel. I feel like I don't have a role in shaping the institution because I've been shaped into that for 18 years and although society has changed with gentle parenting, acceptance of LGBTQ+, and etiquette. My institution is old school so they wouldn't turn it around because it the new now. My parents did the best they with the tools they were given and also with the institution they were provided. I hope I can break the generational curse and use some of the helpful tools from my parents like cooking, hard work, and acts of service.

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Personally, I believe COVID-19 during my high school years has really influenced my identity of being quiet because I never really felt the need to socialize with others after this moment. Freshman year everyone was getting to know one another and making their friends and making their own little social group. Yet, when COVID-19 hit around sophomore year, from my perspective everyone shut off and stuck with that circle of friends they made freshman year. It made it even worse for making friends because we we’re stuck on Zoom and all the interactions we had on there were dead because we were just staring at boxes all day, and when we were sent to breakout rooms it was quiet. During the COVID-19 however, I didn’t use social media as much, so I didn’t really get to socialize with any of my classmates during the COVID-19 time until the epidemic was finished. As a result, I spent more time with myself and binge watched movies, played video games, listened to music, and was learning new things from YouTube and TikTok. When everyone came back it was like a relief for them, because everyone saw one another so it was getting back to normal for them, but I haven’t really talked to anyone since then beside my own close friend that I made freshman year, so I kicked it with him all the time and continued the same habits of not really socializing with others and making friends because I felt comfortable with my COVID-19 habits and the one friend that I did have. Ultimately, in the end I feel like I still have this quiet stick to myself type of nature because I'm used to it and I'm comfortable with it. I’m trying to work more on my social skills though because it's a crucial skill to know in society. However, it’s pretty hard when for years I have instilled the habits upon myself of being quiet and managing myself alone.

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Growing up as an African American male in America, the impact of the institution of racism has been profound in shaping my identity and who I am. Navigating a complex landscape of racial dynamics, I've encountered various manifestations of racism that have significantly influenced my resilience, self-awareness, and commitment to challenging stereotypes. I can recall an incident where I was racially profiled by law enforcement because according to them "I fit a description". Engaged in routine activities, I found myself subjected to scrutiny, and was wrongfully arrested followed by intrusive questioning and discernible suspicion solely based on my racial identity and appearance. Going through this experience highlighted the pervasive nature of entrenched systemic racism, reaching into the realm of law enforcement. It wasn't about my actions but rather a disconcerting consequence of preconceived notions linked to my ethnicity, race and appearance. This encounter heightened my awareness of the enduring biases faced by individuals of color. It solidified my commitment to advocating against such discriminatory practices, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive society that transcends racial stereotypes. The experience also shaped my values, fostering a deep understanding of the importance of empathy and inclusivity. While I contribute to broader societal changes through education, activism, and engagement, addressing racism on a systemic level requires collective efforts. Although my personal experiences may influence conversations within my immediate circles, the structural nature of racism demands a collaborative approach for meaningful societal transformation. Recognizing the need for systemic change, I strive to be part of a larger movement that challenges and transforms the very foundations of racism, promoting a society that embraces diversity and equity.

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I think the one institution that has influenced me is my family because they taught me the values that I have today. There was never really any institutions besides my family that have taught me the things I know today. This is because as a kid, besides general values such as respect and gratitude, I was mostly taught how to be my own person. This especially comes from my dad who always told me to never follow anybody and be my own person. This lesson has taught me to value my individuality and to observe my environment and to keep a well balanced moral compass. My parents knew that as a kid my sense of right and wrong were well off and so took a more guiding approach to raising me. It's because of my parents that I'm able to see the world in many different lens even though they are not inherently my own.

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Two institutions that shaped me are education and the American government. Early on in my life, I never really cared enough to pay attention to what goes on in government, but in regards to education, I found that being educated would be very beneficial for me in the future. In the more recent years going back to around mid 2022, I started to pay somewhat more attention as to what is going on in government and I found that many people in government aren't very helpful to a lot of the problems that this country faces. By my senor year in high school, one of the classes that I have taken throughout the year was a psychoanalysis class which happened to cover a lot of topics that related back to various forms of authority taking advantage of those below them relying on fear and lack of knowledge, most notably, "Animal Farm" and "1984" both by George Orwell. By the end of the class, my biggest takeaway was to be educated enough to question the government when it does something questionable considering the direction that a lot of people in government are heading in and how much a lot of people in government reflect the ideas I have learnt from the class. Nowadays, I check the news every once in a while to see was is going on and at least having some preparedness to question some decisions in government (I don't pay attention to everying in the news) but as long as I'm educated enough about these matters, I can at least know if certain people in government are working to make my life or the lives of those around me better or worse and have the ability to vote for someone who will actually help.

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I am from Mexico Puebla from a very small town, that small town was the institution that influenced me the one the shaped who I am now, we all know each other, we say Good morning, Good afternoon, Good night, every-time you see someone in the street its doesn't matter if you are not close with them you need to be kind with everyone. Going to the store and being grateful, going to school by yourself by the time you turn 6. Sharing, helping others even if you are not getting the favor in return. All these things shaped me who I am now, and know I see them different I come from a very different place New York is being another dimension. My morals are still the same but in a small reflection, my approach to people is not the same, Taking the public transportation and not saying Good morning so everyone was weird people in their phones. Back them I used to greet all the people. However being in this institution gave the opportunity to be a better version of me, I am the best at approaching people but I know how give them the best respect, dating is a complicated situation but I will be confident of myself, I grew up in a place were media, TV, are not something you see everyday. I respect your decision. The way that this institution shaped me is the best version of me.

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While many institutions have shaped who I am, I'd say that one of the most influential ones has been my family. I was born and raised in the Bronx by my Dominican and catholic mother and grandmother. My family stressed the importance of standing up for myself

encouraging me to speak up whenever something troubled me and to be willing to fight back when someone was messing with me. Given that my mother was born here and my grandma has spent most of her life here, their experiences here made standing up for oneself important when seemingly many people strive to take advantage of you. This is the same reason that my family urged me to be cautious of strangers when going out. Much of that caution is influenced by what they see on the news and the narrative that those stories create, whether it's things like a stabbing or a homeless man assaulting someone. The negative situations they have witnessed or experienced help to corroborate the narrative that New York is a dangerous place because of the individual actions of particular groups of people, giving these fears legitimacy. I try not to worry too much when I am going on the subway or walking around in an infamously “sketchy” area, as realistically nothing should happen, however, due to the things that my parents say and the negative things people say, it’s hard not to be extra cautious or to be willing to defend myself if I feel threatened.

My parents also had certain expectations regarding education and career development, believing that I should work hard in school, go to college, get a degree, and make good money. They had no specific careers in mind, only wanting me to make something of myself. They didn’t originally care about grades, but after realizing that I was capable of performing well, they encouraged and expected me to perform well, expressing disappointment when I didn’t get 90s. This is all likely due to their experience growing up in the lower middle class, understanding that for me to live a life of relative luxury in an industry and space that I enjoyed working in, I needed to be pushed to be an overachiever. They are also very aware of the array of struggles that most Americans suffer with due to a lack of a livable minimum wage, inflation, and exorbitant costs for housing. They know that the only way to live a comfortable life is by getting a degree and working in a well-paying field in this country. These things have heavily encouraged me to put a lot of my value in my work and perform well.

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One institution that influence me is my family, mainly my mother. As the oldest of 3 and being raised by a single mom, is not really a fun ride. Being the oldest, you carry a good amount of responsibility and burden. my brother has autism. I've been taking care of him since I was 7 or 10. The responsibilities I get when it comes to him, shouldn't be my responsibility. But because it's only my mom, I have to step in. Then you have my sister. She's perfectly fine, she's just a lot to handle. I practically helped raise my siblings. I kind of raised myself as well. There are certain things I had to learn on my own or from the outside world. My mom has taught me a few things but in ta negative way. Seeing what she goes through I know for sure I don't want to end up like a single mom. She's definitely taught me not to let people speak to me crazy especially when it comes to men. She's taught me to stand my ground, keep my gaud up when it needs to be. It sucks that I had to learn these things in a negative way. One thing about me I am an emotional person. My mom is the opposite. So, when it comes to my emotions it's hard to control them sometimes because she's a part of the main reason why I am like this, and my dad. Reasons why I have trust issues, hidden anger and the list continues. Me and my mom relationship is better now, there will always be ups and downs, I wouldn't be the young strong independent woman I am today if it wasn't for her. Watching her is reminder that I need to fight and pray harder for a better future.

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an institution that influenced me was my family, specifically my dad. the reason is because my family comes from Jamaica, and most of the people there are really sporty. this shaped who I am because from a very young age I loved sports. this shaped me to be strong, selfless, and kindhearted. they way I play is the way I treat others.

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My family is the institution that has shaped me into who I am. Growing up as a Mexican-American, I would always be proud of where I come from and my culture. Not only this, but the way I was raised became how I perceived the world and the people around me. My parents taught me how to face any obstacles in life and to continue my path. They taught me basic manners such as respect, value, and politeness. My brothers always support me and want me to do better in life. They want me to strive for the best and to never give up. They also taught me how to be tough, but I sometimes fail since I have a soft side in me. Nonetheless, I always keep my family in my heart and mind and they will always be my driving force to continue.

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An influential force that significantly shaped my life is capitalism. Throughout the majority of my upbringing, my family and I grappled with financial hardships, navigating life in the clutches of poverty. However, in recent years, a positive shift in our financial circumstances allowed me to immerse myself in the realm of rampant consumerism. Driven by a desire to acquire everything I had previously lacked, I indulged in a fervor of materialism. My focus primarily revolved around amassing an extensive collection of clothes, shoes, and accessories, items that were once scarce in my earlier years. While initially satisfying to witness the expansion of my wardrobe and choices, the insatiable urge for more began to permeate.

In my pursuit of possessions, I frequented stores like H&M and Zara, blissfully unaware of the intricacies of fabric quality. Consequently, I found myself allocating substantial sums of money to items that proved to be of low quality, necessitating frequent replacements. It wasn't until a moment of self-reflection that I recognized the root of this behavior – an innate yearning for everything I had missed out on during my upbringing.

Acknowledging this realization, I became cognizant of the detrimental impact of excessive consumerism on my life. While harboring dreams, desires, and aspirations is a natural aspect of the human experience, I came to understand that my unchecked materialistic tendencies were overshadowing these goals. It prompted a transformative shift in perspective, encouraging me to reassess my priorities and redefine what fulfillment truly means in the face of relentless consumerism. I'm still a fashionable person, who adores clothes and shoes, but I shop more mindfully now.

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One institution that shaped me as an individual was my mom. Growing up my mom was always super supportive and always gave me helpful advice. She taught me how to have manners and to respect others. She also taught me to always be the best version of myself, and to stick up for myself. She always did my hair and taught me how to dress with style and confidence. I believe everything she taught me growing up, influenced me to be the person that I am today. I feel as if i’ve grown up to be a well mannered young woman, all thanks to my mom.

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One institution that has shaped me as an individual growing up was my family and my gender, being the only daughter in a Mexican family made view myself as someone that doesn’t fit in the family. I have 1 older brother and 3 younger brothers so as I grew up with them, I was very playful and a troublemaker for my mom, because I grew up with boys only, I was used to playing fighting and acting “rough” all the time. At the age of 9 when I started developing early my mom became stricter with me and would scold me for the way I behaved. In her eyes I was seen as a tomboy and not a lady that needed to look neat and act charming in front of other because in her words “what will other people think”. When I became “girly” and became more interesting in dolls, makeup, wearing dresses there wouldn’t be a problem with her but then my brothers would look at me and make comments like “ewww, since when are u a girl” or “it doesn’t fit you, stop acting like that.” If I was in my house wearing sweats or baggy clothes, I was told by my mom to dress up and always look presentable because I looked homeless, even if I was in the comfort of my house. If I was laying around in bed or on my phone my mom would comment, “how are you going to get married if you don’t learn to cook or keep the house clean all day”, while my brothers would say something like “you belong in the kitchen.” This affected me because as I grew older it made me feel alone at home sometimes. If I act the way my mom wants me to act, I hear non-stop comments from my brothers, and if I act the way my brothers act then I argue with my mom a lot. It makes me feel suffocated at times because I can’t be myself or feel comfortable with myself because if I talk about my problems to any of them, I’m either on my “period” or I’m just “over-reacting” and “taking it to heart.” It shaped me for who I am because now that I am older it made me feel like a people-pleaser, constantly changing myself because I was insecure and always wondering what other people would think.

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The family that I grew up in is one institution that helped shaped who I am. My mother is a very Caring person and at times I believe that she was someone that helped shaped my somewhat caring nature. my dad gave me good advice and helped steer me on the right path so far. they were both key parts into both some of my laid back personality and the kindness nature that I have. some other things that kind of influence me are probably my brother. because he was a very reliable person and was someone that was almost always trying to help his parent's with just about anything and everything and I hope that I can be just as dependable as he is

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My family has a history of being affiliated with being catholic. I’ve realized that a lot of hispanic families believe in god & their religion whether its christianity or catholicism. All my life, ever since i was 4, Specifically my grandma, Had bought me a book with bible verses & would make me read the book everyday as well as every night even though i was just learning how to read. She taught me all the prayers i needed to know or the prayers that would make me “safe”. Since i was only 4 and as i got older, I never really understood religion and why i needed to practice it as-well. All i really knew was that god would keep me safe if i prayed everyday. Meaning, Nothing bad would ever happen to me. I also knew that if i ever did anything remotely bad, God wouldn’t be happy with me & i’d have to ask for forgiveness. I feel like this has shaped me for who i am today because although i’m not as religious as i was & decided to change my life around, Yet, I still feel guilty whenever i do something i’m not supposed to do & i STILL ask for forgiveness although i’m not really religious anymore. I think about how my grandma would feel or how even god would feel. I feel like because of this, I do many things that are good and not bad. I try my best to be a better person as well. I also feel like i still have a-lot of morals because of how i was raised which was to be religious.

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The only thing I could really remember being influenced by as a child, and even now as an adult, is the media. With how fast trends spread and how quickly people consumed them, it was always so difficult for me to catch up. Up until high school I can safely say I didn't have a true sense of self, and everything I knew and believed in was so heavily influenced by social media and celebrities that I never got to be my own person. As I grew older, I was able to distinguish between what I liked vs what was "cool" as well as what I didn't like vs what was popular. Constantly being online, especially during the quarantine, made me so dependent on the validation of strangers on the internet that I forgot how to value myself, and slowly but surely I was consumed by the social media rabbit hole yet again. Although time has passes and I have (slowly but surely) broke free from social medias grasp, I still find myself gravitating towards that awful cycle, but I have made peace with the fact that social media will always play an integral role in our society, so theres really no escaping trends.

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The institutions that shaped me were mostly my family and media. Growing up in a fully Jamaican household my mom would install certain things I should do and I have just stuck with them ever since. I was taught to stay out of grown people's business as a child, to cook from an early age, to be independent, always to have manners and if someone hit me I hit them back. I feel as though media shaped me more as I got older. The internet and social media influenced my music preferences, clothing, and some of the beliefs I used to have. I never used to want to get my nails done and then I started seeing them everywhere and started doing it. Another example is my tattoo growing up I used to tell my family I would never in life, and as I started seeing it on media more I changed my mind and got one. With the app TikTok I catch my personality shift just seeing videos and other people's thoughts makes me change my thought process and decision-making. But my family makes sure I always stay true to our Jamaican roots.

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Growing up in Honduras and transitioning to life in the U.S. at the age of 11, I find that culture and religion have profoundly shaped my identity. Honduran culture, deeply intertwined with Catholicism, instilled in me a set of values, beliefs, and traditions from an early age. Whether it was participating in religious rituals, celebrating cultural festivities, or learning moral teachings, I was immersed in a rich tapestry that blended religion and cultural customs. Even after moving to the U.S., these influences continued to guide my approach to life, morality, and relationships. Reflecting on my role in shaping these institutions, I recognize that while I have been influenced by them, I also contribute to their evolution through my actions, beliefs, and interactions within my community. As I navigate my identity in a new cultural context, I continue to shape and be shaped by the cultural and religious institutions that have defined my upbringing.Transitioning from the vibrant cultural and religious landscape of Honduras to the diverse society of the U.S., I've come to appreciate how these influences have shaped my identity in unique ways. Growing up, Catholicism wasn't just a Sunday thing—it was a part of everyday life, from morning prayers before school to community celebrations. Even here in the U.S., those roots run deep, impacting how I approach relationships, navigate challenges, and view the world around me. While I've certainly been shaped by these institutions, I also see myself playing a role in keeping them alive and relevant in my community. It's an ongoing journey of discovery and growth as I continue to explore the intersection of culture, religion, and personal identity.

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Media, specifically television, movies, and music, acts as an influential institution that shaped me and my understanding of the world. Through the stories, characters, and narratives that I have consumed, I gained a plethora of values and beliefs that have gradually influenced my personality and perceptions. For example, the "Spider-Man" movies explore themes of responsibility and the struggle between personal desires and the greater good, which resonate with my own experiences growing up. In elementary school, when I heard Uncle Ben say the famous line, "With great power comes great responsibility," the principle was instilled in me, ensuring I use my abilities and opportunities to remain selfless and be of use to those who are in need. Watching the film “13 Going on 30” in the sixth grade fundamentally influenced the development of my personality, not only because it was the first romantic comedy I’d ever seen but because of the way it taught me the value of spontaneity rather than planning every aspect of my life. The main character, Jenna Rink, overcomes the difficulties of adulthood while using the mindset of her teenage self to fix the mistakes she had made in not only her career but also in her relationships. The movie taught me how our choices impact us and highlights the values of love and character development. The television series “Naruto” is also something I grew up watching from a young age. Unlike Jenna Rink's journey of self-discovery in a romantic comedy, Naruto’s story is one about a neglected boy chasing his dream to gain recognition and become a leader in his village, despite being underestimated by everyone around him. This show reshaped my understanding of success by teaching me to constantly persevere, value relationships as a source of strength, and have the heart to remain true to oneself in the face of hardship. Music profoundly impacts my emotions and moods, through lyrics that reflect personal experiences. I can feel energetic through the beats and flow of rap/hip-hop, feel my spirits being uplifted through pop melodies, or feel raw emotion through the lyrics of rock songs. Although I feel as if I do not have a role in shaping the institution in turn, the exposure to various forms of media was able to educate and mold me, having a part in my socialization process and sociologically defining my identity.

Continuation: Undoubtedly, the influence of media goes beyond individual growth and shapes our beliefs and behaviors in larger social contexts. Through the sharing of perspectives and stories that we might not otherwise encounter, the media can, in fact, influence our fundamental ideas and values. For example, by emphasizing some parts of social issues over others, news outlets frequently play a critical role in influencing public opinion on matters like political movements and climate change. This deliberate exposure has the power to change public opinion and impact both individual and group behavior. A common culture or set of social standards can also be fostered through media. For example, films and television shows frequently endorse particular lifestyles or moral conclusions that might gain widespread acceptance.

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In one paragraph, you will consider which institutions shaped who you are. More specifically, you'll choose one institution and examine its influence on you--and question whether you have any role in shaping that institution in turn. For example, how might religion shape your morals, beliefs, sexuality, or approach to relationships and dating?

You are not limited to religion--you can focus on schools, media, or any other institution you're interested in.

And remember, you only need to focus on one institution in your response! For example, if you select religion as an institution and want to explore its impact on shaping your value system, then just focus on religion! You can connect religion to other institutions if you want, but you don't have to!

Some examples of institutions you can consider in terms of how they shaped you as an individual and how you as an individual shape them are:

the family

media

religion

government

capitalism

racism

gender

sexual orientation