Culture

I shall be embarking on a very sensitive topic called culture from this issue. Sensitive, due to the
multiple connotations it has acquired with references as wide as tendencies, trends, taboos,
traditions, tolerant attitudes, advanced torture techniques etc.
Before I start the series, in which I may include many things, I would like to define and describe
in general what are the things the term culture could possibly refers to?
peculiar problem visits all terminologies which refer to some abstract concept rather than a
concrete entity or matter. !hey acquire such a heavy carapace of connotations that you hardly see
the original covering.
"e cannot either rewind or reverse history or any of the evolutionary trends in any field be it
biology, sociology, science, philosophical thoughts etc or can we wish away the bad or inhumane
aspects of them.
So, what is culture? #tymologically from the $atin %Cultura or &rench Culture primarily
meaning 'a cultivating, tilling agricultural activity( or probably from $atin %cultus, which
means )care* from thereon from late +,th century it e-panded in connotation with varying
degrees of impact figuratively mostly to refer positively to tending ,guarding etc and
psychologically and socially creating a common social coherent identity based on certain
activities, attitudes etc.
.redominantly originally culture had only a very positive connotation and this is evident from
such writings as that of "illiam Butler /eats, '&or without culture or holiness, which are always
the gift of the very few, a man may renounce wealth or any other e-ternal thing, but he cannot
renounce hatred, envy, 0ealousy, revenge. Culture is the sanctity of the intellect(.
1owever, now we have even many ad0ectives giving multiple meanings and nuances to the term
culture like inherent culture, acquired culture, imported culture, gun culture, violent culture,
cinema culture, material culture, "estern culture, 2riental culture, criminal culture etc
3oving away from the verbal analysis, which can go on endlessly, if we peep into domains like
anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, religion etc wherein this terminology
underwent its massive churning before it acquired all those above referred nuances, we come
across various definitions and descriptions of what people meant by or inferred from the term
culture. !his included also a good part of deliberate diversions to malign certain cultures as a
political tool because certain cultures had very strong social binding because of a common
culture which had been scrupulously preserved and practiced traditionally over several centuries
and which in reality enhanced the quality of life or at least gave pleasure and entertainment to the
soul, mind and body and which is what is of vital importance 4enhancing the quality of life5 with
anything that has something to do with human life.
typical anthropological definition of culture by 1enry .ratt &airchild in his 6ictionary of
Sociology78 ' collective name for all behavior patterns socially acquired and transmitted by
means of symbols9 hence a name for all the distinctive achievements of human groups, including
not only such items as language, tool8making, industry, art, science, law, government, morals and
religion, but also the material instruments or artifacts in which cultural achievements are
embodied and by which intellectual cultural features are given practical effect, such as buildings,
tools, machines, communication devices, art ob0ects, etc(.
If this definition is dissected and analy:ed it includes, involves, impacts, is impacted by,
influences and is influenced by all these.
5 .atterns of behavior that are found in groups of people, B5 Socially acquired, i.e. we are
taught these behavior patterns as we grow up in a family in some geographical location and are
profoundly affected by the family we are born into, its religion, and all kinds of other matters. C5
!he 6istinctive chievements of 1uman ;roups. It is in groups that we gather a socially
accepted and acquired identity as a human being and become indoctrinated, enculturated or
acculturated <two words for the same thing, for all practical purposes=. "e may have our own
distinctive natures but at least most of us in the initial stages of blossoming mind become part of
society through these processes. 65 rtifacts in which cultural achievements are embodied. !he
artifacts we are talking about here are the popular culture conte-ts carried in the various realms
of life such as fashions in clothes, food preferences, artifacts <what anthropologists call )material
culture)=, language use, se-ual practices and related matters.
"e can see, then, that culture is a very complicated phenomenon that plays some kind of a role
in shaping our consciousness and our behavior. "e may think we are immune from the impact of
the local, traditional, religious, global and popular culture, but that is a mere delusion that is
generated. "e are all impacted in some way or other with varying degrees of intensities,
participation, reactions etc
Culture, in its multiple avatars definitely affects us but it need not necessarily determine every
act we do or define or confine anyone of us, especially if we are grown up adults who can make
our own choice. "e need not re0ect any culture but we also need not become susceptible guinea
pigs for deculturi:ation.
!homas Crump writes in his wonderful book %Science as seen through the development of
scientific instruments* writes in the first chapter , ' &or humankind, what is remembered is as
0ust as important as what is perceived( and goes on to elaborate, 'n individual*s field of vision
can be defined in two stages7 first, it consists of the whole of that part of the environment which
transmits light>. to his eyes9 second, it consists of what he consciously perceives,
[perception] which is that part of the whole to which his attention, consciously or
subconsciously is directed. "hat 6avid 1yndman has to tell of the "opkaimin of ?ew ;uinea
4who number only @AA5 is true of almost of any population7 !heir behavior is highly affected by
that portion of the environment they actually perceive. !hey cannot absorb and retain the visually
infinite amount of environmental information that impinges on them daily. !heir culture acts as a
perpetual filter screening out most information in a very selective manner>. Through mental
mapping they acquire a sense of place by acquiring and storing essential information about
their everyday spatial environment and using it to decide where to go, how to get there, and
what to do with it(4Choice]
So, for most of us when we come across or focus on certain institutions, legends, myths,
scriptures, music, dance, art, sports, literature immediately they all enthuse us emotionally ,
intellectually, socially etc with e-cessive pride in a particular identity. !hat*s why any culture is
assimilated and appeals only to the culturally initiated. [Triad of Perception, Choice and
Context]
ll cultures have a specific conte-t and are and can be sub0ected to outside influences and
impacts.
6ue to various factors certain cultures dominate and become predatory in certain situations or
certain circumstances and times, while some cultures become a prey. Some cultures wilt under
the e-cessive pressure of their own e-clusivist over protective or over possessive and
ethnocentric pride in their identity and burden of tradition trampling over any outside influence
etc.
But if we skim beyond the superficial surface in which the butter of culture is floating we find
culture too, like many things in life, is the result of massive churning by perception, choice,
circumstances etc and their life is sustained and sublimed by these three predominant factors.
"hat these three factors are and how narrow and Bor nice they are, how apparently simple but in
reality complicated they are please refer to these links78
.erception
http7BBcontentwriteups.blogspot.inBCA+ABACBreal8perception.html
Choice
http7BBCA++newattitudes8balayogi.blogspot.inBCA+AB+CBAC8A+8CA++8choice.html
SituationalBconte-tual
32D$I!/
http7BBwww.authorstream.comB.resentationBbalayogiv8+E,FCCE8morality8conte-tualB
http7BBwww.scribd.comBdocB+A++GGHE,B3orality8is8Iust8Conte-tual
&or information78!he term )cult) which suggests some kind of a religious organi:ation is also
from the word culture, indicating a group identity.