Components of Culture: Values

Values defined: A standard by which members of culture define what is desirable or undesirable good or bad beautiful or ugly acceptable or unacceptable

Values are regularly contested. For example, what makes a person beautiful?

The answer often depends on WHEN the question is asked… Today mainstream Canada might cite these people as being beautiful

Or perhaps one of these people:

But what about 50 years ago? Canadians might have said that these were the most people.

How are these people different from today’s version of beauty? How about 100 years ago? How are these people different from today’s version of beauty?

Beauty also depends on WHERE the question is asked. Around the world, there is not just one standard of beauty, but many. Certain features of the face or body are emphasized in various parts of the world. Women from Burma

Ears and mouths are features commonly accented… Women from Ethiopia

Adornments for the mouth can include tattoos and jewels for the teeth. Girl from Borneo Maori Woman with Moko

Here beauty accents are focused on the face and head… Nigerian Woman Mangbetu Woman

although other parts of the body have also been emphasized, such as the feet. 3 ” S H O E Sketch of a woman’s bound feet

The overall body can also reflect values of beauty. Today thinness is commonly accepted in many cultures as synonymous with beauty.

In some cultures thinness might be a reflection of physical fitness…

Although there are still extremes: When does thin become “too thin?”

Thinness has not always been a Western standard of beauty. Painting by Peter Paul Rubens

Nor is thinness the standard everywhere in the world today.

To summarize: Values are standards set by the members of a society. Values are often highly contested. Values can change significantly over time. Values can differ within one society and around the world.