In the Hutterities document there were two things that were explained as being critical to the Hutterites being

able to sustain a unique culture surrounded by a very different larger culture. What are these two things and how do they make Hutterite culture possible. The Hutterities are more than a society. They are a community of individuals linked with each other through their belief system. The main reason as of why they are able to do this is because of their focus of maintaining themselves isolated and their goal of branching out into new colonies. In order to do this, economical success must be reached. They need to be able to sustain themselves and create extra profits to enable a new colony to be created. The need to branch out evolves from reaching the limits they set upon each colony of containing only 130 to 150 individuals. The small amount of individuals per group allows sustainability to be reached though an intensive agricultural standpoint rather than becoming an industrial society. The agricultural viewpoint also allows the individuals within the community to maintain a pattern of gathering and dispersing throughout the day as a whole community. The branching of different groups also allows for individuals to focus on the importance of community rather than material goods. To emphasize this, they create two lists so that individuals decide who they want to be in a community with and then it is later decided which group will be part of the new colony. The important part is who they will be in a community with, not the location of it.

The lack of importance towards material goods is very beneficial when analyzing their communal life style in regards to isolation. Isolation allows the individuals within the community to support each other through their belief system. Their main concern is their spiritual state rather than the physical. They believe that the body should obey the spirit. The spirit should revere God and recognize Him as the absolute authority. Their ability to use religion as a unifying factor among all of them reinforces their personal belief system within the community. It is through language that their spiritual beliefs and culture is also built since the Bible they use is a specific version of German that prevents any type of further interpretation. Their basis for their belief system is essentially locked within their isolated community. What do YOU think are the three most important characteristics that make an American an adult? When analyzing the characteristics that individuals value the most in America, we see that the concept of self and choice are the most important factors regarding becoming an adult. However, I personally do not find these to be the most important factors but rather the way in which they are interpreted. Im fairly sure my beliefs are a bit biased though, considering I spent over half my life in Colombia. I personally find responsibility, individuality, and self-sustainability to be the most important factors when deciding if someone is an adult or not. Often times, you see grown individuals doing childish acts that are often disrespectful or plain ignorant. Legally by the age of eighteen, you have the maturity to make your own choices and be held

accountable for them. However, most individuals at a young age make choices and ignore the responsibilities that come along with them. American culture itself through movies, literature, and the media constantly reinforces these behaviors as normal and forgets about the fact that these individuals are adults and should be held accountable for their actions. These mediums often forget to mention the importance of taking ownership over your decisions rather than making excuses for making bad judgments. When determining the level of mentality of an adult, its important to remember that choices are easy to make, but it is the consequences that we have to live with. The choices we make might be influenced by different factors, but the decision should be of the individual. Its imperative for the individual to find value in their own ability to make rational and positive decisions based on their own personal opinions. Being an adult gives you the ability to responsibly make choices that will enable the individual to grow. Its about taking ownership over the choices without needing to have a constant reassurance that they have made the right selection. Individuality gives you the opportunity to step out into your own spot light and be confident on the choices you are making and that you will make in the future. The choices you make should be geared towards a specific goal. Self-sustainability allows you to be independent. Some individuals opt to do this by building a professional career, others have jobs, others climb up the ladder and make a career out of their jobs, while others scramble to survive. Part of being an adult is having the ability to slowly climb towards your own success instead of being stuck in the same

place where you began. Although success has many meanings to each particular individual, an adult wants to create their own success based on the choices they have made and full knowingly that they are able to support themselves. I personally do not feel that you can reach success by being under someones wing, whether it is by living with roommates, parents, or friends. Its the individuals ability to sustain themselves that essentially signifies that point of adulthood. Sustaining one self financially and emotionally enables an individual to live in their desired lifestyle and be proud of their accomplishments. Responsibility, individuality, and self-sustainability are all linked together and work with one another in order to create a well-rounded individual. It creates an adult that is able to make responsible decisions and take ownership over them. It creates a person who is able to stand for what they believe in and who understands the importance of creating their own path and the way their choices have affected them. At the end of the day, whether or not you are considered an adult in the eyes of society is decided by your attitude, not your age.