Society and Culture

What is a society? a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behavior -- an abstract "mental blueprint" or "mental code." a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behavior -- an abstract "mental blueprint" or "mental code." A shared perception of reality A shared perception of reality Commonly known as Commonly known as “Commonly known as” “Commonly known as” Common sense Common sense “They say” “They say” “Everybody knows” “Everybody knows”

Ways of Knowing We “know” lots of things. How do we know: We “know” lots of things. How do we know: It’s hot outside It’s hot outside Veggies are good for you Veggies are good for you Opposites attract Opposites attract Smoking causes cancer Smoking causes cancer

Everyday Ways of Knowing Tenacity/Tradition Tenacity/Tradition It’s always been true It’s always been true You eat Turkey on Thanksgiving You eat Turkey on Thanksgiving Tied to prior held beliefs Tied to prior held beliefs Beliefs are hard to change Beliefs are hard to change Flat Earth Society Flat Earth Society What if knowledge has changed but beliefs haven’t? What if knowledge has changed but beliefs haven’t? Women belong at home, not in the workplace Women belong at home, not in the workplace I never advertised before, why should I now? I never advertised before, why should I now?

Everyday Ways of Knowing Authority Authority Someone (who should know) says so Someone (who should know) says so Doctor diagnosis Doctor diagnosis Mommy says so Mommy says so What if that person is wrong? What if that person is wrong? Again, hard to change and may not consider new information Again, hard to change and may not consider new information

Everyday Ways of Knowing Intuition or Logic Intuition or Logic Truth is self-evident Truth is self-evident Common sense Common sense What if two individuals’ common sense tell them different things? What if two individuals’ common sense tell them different things? Politics Politics Religion Religion

Problems with “Everyday” Ways Filters how we process info Filters how we process info False premise; Illogical reasoning False premise; Illogical reasoning Selective observation; expectations Selective observation; expectations Everyday ways of knowing can even lead t o conflicting ideas about “truth” Everyday ways of knowing can even lead t o conflicting ideas about “truth” Absence makes the heart grow fonder Absence makes the heart grow fonder Out of sight, out of mind Out of sight, out of mind

Why bother with societies and cultures? Humans are weak Humans are weak Societies are mutual support pacts Societies are mutual support pacts

Let’s build a society An individual An individual Two people Two people More than two… More than two… Or twenty… Or twenty… Or twenty million Or twenty million 1 st purpose of a society: reduce friction between people in the society 1 st purpose of a society: reduce friction between people in the society 2 nd purpose: separate one society from others 2 nd purpose: separate one society from others

Early Human Culture Small groups of around 25 Gatherer/huntersNomadic Limited possessions more permanent settlements Became tribes xenophobia

End of the Ice Age About 12,000 BCE About 12,000 BCE The high grasslands began to dry out The high grasslands began to dry out Tribes migrated down into the river valleys looking for food Tribes migrated down into the river valleys looking for food Tigris/Euphrates Tigris/Euphrates Indus Indus Yellow Yellow Nile Nile

The first great change

Domestication of animals

Irrigation

Canals

Fields

Granary

Pharaoh

Pyramid of Zoser

The Torah

Class and Clothing

Chinese Fingernail Shields

Jocks vs. Nerds

Weighing the Heart

Ramses II

Queen Hatshepsut

Nazis

Soviets

Sparta vs. Athens

Rome vs. everybody

War of the Roses

English Civil War

American Revolution

French Revolution

American Civil War

Inquisition

Women’s Suffrage

Civil Rights

Timothy McVeigh / John Allen Muhammad / Aileen Wuornos

James von Brunn; Scott Roeder; Jim David Adkisson

Anders Behring Breivik