Culture

Chapter II

Culture

The United States is one nation with many ways of life. Understanding what we mean by “culture” and how this country is a multicultural society is the focus of this chapter. In global perspective, of course, ways of life differ even more. The 6.2 billion people living on the Earth are all members of a single biological species: Homo sapiens. Even so, differences between people within the United States, and so around the world, can delight, puzzle, and disturb us. Indeed, we might imagine the reaction of a small of New Yorkers if they were parachuted into the tiny Q’ ero villages at the top of the Andes.

Some of the differences in how people live may not be very important. Whereas many New Yorkers wear conservative business suits, the Q’ero prefer brightly colored clothing. But many cultural differences are quite profound. A survey of the world’s people would show that some people have many children, and others have few; some honor the elderly, and others push them aside; some are peaceful, others warlike; and people have thousands of distinctive religious beliefs as well as different ideas about what they consider polite and rude, beautiful and ugly, pleasant and repulsive. This amazing capacity for difference is a matter of human culture.

The dictionary defines “Culture” as the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all others product of human work and thought. Human beings around the globe create diverse ways of life. Such differences begin with outward appearance. For example, in some cultures women tend to stay home and their marriages would never be 50%/50%. Because, these people ancestors created these type of pattern of leaving that will last forever and become the only and absolute life style for them. Culture is all about keeping traditions and practicing beliefs. Sociologically, culture has been adapted as a pattern of understanding and to better comprehend others cultures.

The components of culture are the follow; symbols, language, values, beliefs, norms, and “ideal” and “real” culture.

Symbols are the foundation that all the other components are built upon. Symbols are anything (such as a behavior, gesture, or an item) that is assigned a particular meaning that is recognized by everyone that shares in that particular culture. This can and does cause confusion when different cultures meet. For example, in America the “OK” hand gesture means I agree or a job well done. However, to our friend in France it is an insult meaning you are worth nothing. Also, to our friend in Germany and those that are deaf, this symbol is an imprudent word rectum.

Language is a complex