Culture: A more complicated definition Mr Kuhn

Defining culture As of 1952, there was over 164 different definitions of what culture is and what it encompasses Even today, there is not one agreed upon definition of what culture is by anthropologists (those who study humans and their lifestyles) Moving forward, we will use the dictionary as a basic answer but explore what this means in more depth Definition the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time

The layers of culture Culture can be divided and studies in three different levels Observable Artifacts What one can feel and observe about ones culture Eg. Clothing, housing, etc. Values Values are an important element of culture and involve judgments of what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable Eg. Japanese Harmony vs American Individualism Basic Underlying Assumptions (Norms) How members of a culture think, feel, and act. Based upon values of a culture

Norms Cultures differ widely in their norms, or standards and expectations for behaving Norms are often divided into two types, formal norms and informal norms Formal Norms Formal Norms are laws and refer to the standards of behavior considered the most important in society Example in Canada include traffic laws and criminal codes Informal Norms Refer to standards of behavior that are considered less important but influence the way we behave Examples include table manners or how we interact with others Norms differ from culture to culture Example: Many countries people speak very closely yet many cultures get uncomfortable Many norms are based on gender, sex, and sexuality

Symbols Every culture is filled with symbols (objects/things that stand for something else) While some symbols are type of nonverbal communication others are material objects Nonverbal Symbols Shaking hands conveys friendship and is used when meeting or departing Sometimes symbols mean the opposite in different cultures Canada: Nod means yes, shaking head means no Bulgaria: Nod means no, shaking means yes Canada: O with fingers means “OK!” Parts of Europe: Its an obscenity Objects Flag symbolized country and what it stands for Cross represents Christian religion

Language Language is an extremely important part of culture and shapes the culture it is a part of Some people consider a common language so important that they advocate making a certain languages the official language of certain cities countries and banning certain languages In public places Eg. Quebec keeping French as an official language While all languages are translatable, the true meaning in the language is often lost through this translation and with it so is the culture

Culture, human nature, and personality Characteristics that are shared by everyone and inherited genetically While it is human nature to feel, exercise, interact, etc, what one does with these characteristics are modified by culture Personality Unique personal set of mental programs which she or he does not share with any other human beings Traits are partly inherited and partly learned

Types of cultures Folk Culture Popular Culture Sub Culture Culture that adheres to isolated groups throughout the world without access to modern conveniences and technologies While most folk cultures have faded over time, few still exist such as the Amish and a few untouched Aboriginal groups Popular Culture Entirety of attitudes, ideas, images, perspectives, and other phenomena within the mainstream of a given culture Heavily influenced by entertainment, sports, news, politics, and fashion Sub Culture Groups that have values and norms that are distinct from those held by the majority Example: Goths, bikers, etc…

Misconceptions of culture Culture in not a “thing” Culture relies on people and does not think for itself or act independently without people Culture is not distributed equally Not everyone within a culture is the same. Some might fit the stereotype more than other but it is important to recognize the individual over “culture” An individual can have more than one culture People are affected by a number of cultures due to their lifestyle, heritage, and where they live. No one belongs to a single culture Culture is not timeless Just as people change, so does culture. Canadians may carry over what our ancestors did but we are not the same

Today in the text… Does culture even exist? More on Folk Culture What is a Folk Region? Folk Culture and Housing