What Is Culture? Something we all sould care about...

[eick_wright 0]

People learn culture. That, we suggest, is culture's essential feature. Many qualities of human life are transmitted genetically -- an infant's desire for food, for example, is triggered by physiological characteristics determined within the human genetic code. An adult's specific desire for milk and cereal in the morning, on the other hand, cannot be explained genetically; rather, it is a learned (cultural) response to morning hunger. Culture, as a body of learned behaviors common to a given human society, acts rather like a template (ie. it has predictable form and content), shaping behavior and consciousness within a human society from generation to generation. So culture resides in all learned behavior and in some shaping template or consciousness prior to behavior as well (that is, a "cultural template" can be in place prior to the birth of an individual person).This primary concept of a shaping template and body of learned behaviors might be further broken down into the following categories, each of which is an important element of cultural systems:

systems of meaning, of which language is primary
ways of organizing society, from kinship groups to states and multi-national corporations
the distinctive techniques of a group and their characteristic products
Several important principles follow from this definition of culture:
If the process of learning is an essential characteristic of culture, then teaching also is a crucial characteristic. The way culture is taught and reproduced (see reproduction in the glossary) is itself an important component of culture.
Because the relationship between what is taught and what is learned is not absolute (some of what is taught is lost, while new discoveries are constantly being made), culture exists in a constant state of change.
Meaning systems consist of negotiated agreements -- members of a human society must agree to relationships between a word, behavior, or other symbol and its corresponding significance or meaning. To the extent that culture consists of systems of meaning, it also consists of negotiated agreements and processes of negotiation.
Because meaning systems involve relationships which are not essential and universal (the word "door" has no essential connection to the physical object -- we simply agree that it shall have that meaning when we speak or write in English), different human societies will inevitably agree upon different relationships and meanings; this a relativistic way of describing culture.

EDIT - OpaQue - Post found to be copied.

[Kioku 0]

Cultue isn't only distinguishable by ethnicity, but entire folklore, music, styles, architecture, and much more. In today's day and age and time, it seems as if though all cultures are being devoured by American Pop Culture. If you don't believe me, you can go anywhere in the world and see an American fast food resturant, American music, and anything else along that line. I'm not against American expanding into other countries, it's just that a persistent issue like culture preservation must be taken into account in some places or their culture will be nullified all together.

[leeindia 0]

Culture is the gift an dblessings fro our ancestors to us... It is their experience and learnings of decades that they have given us in heritage... A culture is a path of vision for a person to understand the difference between the right and wrong. It is a shield which protects us from all the sins and the evils and also guides and dictates us the ethical behaviours that should be followedIt is the most valuable asset and should be conserved and followed in ups and dwns of life

[networker 0]

With the increasing scope of the global village we're seeing an awfulllot of cultural dissipitation though.It's sad really.The things that make us unique are slowlydisappearing. It's all very fine going to your local exotic food resturaunt,but there goes the thrill and discovery and surprise offinding these things on your travels. With the increased globalization comes more tourist trapsand pizza huts.