What Is Culture?
Culture is the collection of habits, beliefs and values of a group of people that distinguish them from other groups. It is the basis of human behavior and consists of both explicit and implicit patterns of action. These behaviors are learned and passed on to others through communication and imitation. Values, which are broad tendencies to prefer certain states of affairs over others (good-evil, right-wrong, natural-unnatural), are the essential core of culture. It is this defining core of culture that distinguishes it from individual personality and motivation.
Cultural studies is the academic discipline that investigates culture and society. It focuses on the ways in which a specific culture functions, and it looks at the meanings and uses that a given culture assigns to different objects. For example, watching a television show to find out what a particular historical event meant to the public can be considered part of a specific culture.
Several different theories of culture exist. One of the most common is that of anthropologist Edward Tylor. He defined culture as “the way of life of a race or nation, including its racial or national peculiarities.” His theory was developed from observations made in the field and from the analysis of anthropological artifacts.
The term culture also refers to the social and organizational structures that define a group of individuals. These include the language, laws, customs and traditions that are ingrained in a society. It is also the belief systems that a group subscribes to. This is the concept that sociologist Georg Simmel was talking about when he talked of “the way of thinking, of acting, and of relating to one another in the course of a given society.”
Other cultures have been distinguished by their lack of culture. For example, some of the native peoples that were colonized by Europeans were viewed as having no culture at all. This contrasted with the beliefs of philosophers Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who viewed them as living in a state of nature.
When a group of people embraces cultures that differ from their own, they are able to learn new things and grow as individuals. They can gain a better understanding of the world at large by experiencing different cuisines, music, and ways of living. This can lead to an open communication among different communities and a deeper wellspring of creativity that leads to economic opportunities.
It is also important to note that a single culture has many subcultures within it, each with its own distinct beliefs and values. These subcultures may be based on geography, religion, age, or gender. The goal of a teacher should be to incorporate all of these factors in the classroom so that students can understand that there are multiple ways to think, act, and live. This will allow them to build more diverse relationships that can foster a more peaceful world. This can be accomplished by incorporating various cultural artifacts into class, such as having each student bring in something that represents their culture to share with the class.
Culture is the collection of habits, beliefs and values of a group of people that distinguish them from other groups. It is the basis of human behavior and consists of both explicit and implicit patterns of action. These behaviors are learned and passed on to others through communication and imitation. Values, which are broad tendencies to prefer certain states of affairs over others (good-evil, right-wrong, natural-unnatural), are the essential core of culture. It is this defining core of culture that distinguishes it from individual personality and motivation. Cultural studies is the academic discipline that investigates culture and society. It focuses on the ways in which a specific culture functions, and it looks at the meanings and uses that a given culture assigns to different objects. For example, watching a television show to find out what a particular historical event meant to the public can be considered part of a specific culture. Several different theories of culture exist. One of the most common is that of anthropologist Edward Tylor. He defined culture as “the way of life of a race or nation, including its racial or national peculiarities.” His theory was developed from observations made in the field and from the analysis of anthropological artifacts. The term culture also refers to the social and organizational structures that define a group of individuals. These include the language, laws, customs and traditions that are ingrained in a society. It is also the belief systems that a group subscribes to. This is the concept that sociologist Georg Simmel was talking about when he talked of “the way of thinking, of acting, and of relating to one another in the course of a given society.” Other cultures have been distinguished by their lack of culture. For example, some of the native peoples that were colonized by Europeans were viewed as having no culture at all. This contrasted with the beliefs of philosophers Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who viewed them as living in a state of nature. When a group of people embraces cultures that differ from their own, they are able to learn new things and grow as individuals. They can gain a better understanding of the world at large by experiencing different cuisines, music, and ways of living. This can lead to an open communication among different communities and a deeper wellspring of creativity that leads to economic opportunities. It is also important to note that a single culture has many subcultures within it, each with its own distinct beliefs and values. These subcultures may be based on geography, religion, age, or gender. The goal of a teacher should be to incorporate all of these factors in the classroom so that students can understand that there are multiple ways to think, act, and live. This will allow them to build more diverse relationships that can foster a more peaceful world. This can be accomplished by incorporating various cultural artifacts into class, such as having each student bring in something that represents their culture to share with the class.