Definitions and layers of culture Free Essay Example

There are many definitions of culture which revolve around the ideas of various philosophers. For instance, E. B. Tylor defined culture as “ that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom and many other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” (TYlor, 2006). In my case, I realized that the definition of culture is not static and it changes with time and also varies from one society to another. In this respect, I find myself discovering new aspects of life every day which entails people’s life thus making my definition of culture more complex.

Based on diverse reading and class discussions, I have hereby established that the definition of culture is dynamic and ever changing. Generally, I have realized that culture entails all learned behaviors which are adopted by a society; whereby it determines structures of technology, social framework, beliefs and ideology. Based on this paper, I will address a critical discussion on the concept of culture (Banks, 1989).

The concept of culture is very broad and it encompasses many aspects of people’s lives.

To be able to understand culture, I suggest that all aspects of life must be considered including the social and individual aspects of culture. As I observed from the studies, such aspects as mode of dressing, marriages, burial, eating habits among many aspects of human life are entailed in culture. I keenly noted that, these behaviors change from place to place even among people of the same cultural group. This can be argued on the basis that, culture is learnt and influenced by other people.

Importantly, I realized educational system has a very crucial role in enabling people to learn about different cultures. I noted that, education enables children to interact with people from different spheres of life thus having a chance to learn their culture. People should go further to understand why members of different cultures conduct themselves the manner they do (Damen, 1987). The concept of stereotyping is commonly used by people when defining the cultures of other people; which may be positive or negative.

This is the aspect of generalization or assumptions made about the characteristics of other people. In this case I caution people to avoid null generalizations about cultures since different ideologies and behaviors exist even in the same cultural group. For instance, Asians are said to be good in math; where in this scenario they paint a picture of the person is been dealt with which may not be correct. I further recommend that, generalization about any culture should be forbidden since they are in most cases inaccurate and may end up portraying a bad image about a certain group (Kroeber, 1952).

On the other hand, ethnocentrism is the aspect of people viewing their culture as the best and judging other people based on the values of their culture. The existence of different cultures is very good for the human society and should not been seen as a threat or problem to human kind (Hofstede, 1997). I suggest that any judgments on an individual’s behavior should be done on the basis of his culture. Ethnorelativism is the direct opposite of ethnocentrisms whereby people assume that all people are the same.

I have my reservations concerning this view. Of importance is the fact that the cultural diversity among people must be respected; nevertheless respect and tolerance should prevail among the different cultures. Further, I am for the opinion that; the concepts of stereotyping, ethnocentrism, and ethnorelativism should be keenly addressed when focusing the concept of culture (Wallbort, 1988). I have experienced cultural conflicts in different human organizations.

Specifically, in the learning institutions whereby learners are drawn from different cultural backgrounds; cultural conflicts usually arise. I have realized that, the concept of ethnocentrism is evident among my fellow learners who tend to regard other cultures as inferior. Instances of my colleagues criticizing the Hindu cultural aspect that requires women pay dowry during marriage are not uncommon. I strongly believe that propose that tolerance and better understanding about other people’s culture should be addressed to avoid cultural conflicts (Berry, 1992).

Conclusion In conclusion, I have realized that culture is very dynamic and it entails a diverse range of aspects which should all be utilized in order to better understand culture. On another perspective, I realized that full knowledge about the different cultures is very essential before making any judgments; this will also help to bring harmony among the different cultural groups. References Banks, J. Et al. (1989). Multicultural Education. Retrieved August, 24, from http://www.

carla. umn. edu/culture/definitions. html Berry, J. Et al. (1992). The Role of Majority Attitudes towards Out-group in the Perception of The Acculturation Strategies of Immigrants. Retrieved August, 24, from http://www. sciencedirect. com/science? _ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V7R-4GNCGBG-3&_user=10&_coverDate=05%2F31%2F2005&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=77091d8306ff4083768d4ac157a93f12 Damen, L. (1987).

Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimensions on the Language Classroom. Retrieved August, 24, from http://www. carla. umn. edu/culture/definitions. html Hofstede, G. (1997). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind. New York: McGraw Hill. Kroeber, A. & Kluckholn, C. (1952). Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions. Retrieved August, 24, from http://www. carla. umn. edu/culture/definitions. html TYlor, E. (2006). What is Culture? Retrieved August, 24, from http://anthro. palomar. edu/culture/culture_1. htm

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