Culture

Journal Essay #1

Culture is a word that can be defined by many aspects. Cultures are collective beliefs that in turn shape behavior. Cultures are based in part on emotion which may vary when change is threatened. The relationship between individual personality and organizational culture is a topic typically considered in theoretical terms. Cultures are based on a foundation of historical continuity. Although cultures resist change, they are constantly changing. Individuals attempt to (and sometimes manage to) shape the culture of their organizations to fit their personal preferences. In the article that I decided to choose, the concept of culture is defined by civilization, worldview, and cultural change. M. P. Carrol observed in 1982 that culture, like morals, laws, and customs; shapes behavior, and is something that older generations hand down to younger ones. (Carrol, 1982) The three common ways that culture is defined is values, norms, and artifacts. What was most important to me in the article was the ideal of values. Values are socially shared ideas about what is "right" and "wrong;" "good" and "bad" in society. Values are general ideas-- broad and abstract. They vary from one society to another and one way to

study society is to examine the values held by its members. Values are important because it is from them that we derive the norms or rules that govern our everyday lives. Values help guide conduct in unfamiliar situations and may lead to the formation of specific norms. Norms are derived from a society's overall values. Generally speaking, we tend to hold on to our values and are unlikely to compromise them.. My values in my life would also consist of my morals. I value life very highly. I know that we only get one chance at it, and we must try to benefit from the time that we have on earth. I also value religion and the many aspects that go along with the beliefs and traditions that I have learned from a child. They also discuss the norms, which can be viewed as what society view as acceptable. This is somewhat important if it is important to fit in. Society has a certain view on what a young girl should wear and how they should act. There is also a view on the role of a man and the role of a woman. If a person does not fit into the category that society feels acceptable, they are considered weird or abnormal. Artifacts can be described as the common consumption goods that generally people posses. We humans give meaning to these things. Examples-- wedding band; leather jacket; sports car; the length and color of a person's hair. Language is truly the "keystone to culture" for without it, we could not pass on the collective experience of society and the lessons