The Nature of Culture Essay Example for Free

The Nature of Culture Essay The term â€Å"culture† is mentioned almost everywhere—in the television, at school, in politics, and in the media. What is the nature of culture? What is its function in the society? How does culture relate to individuals and how does culture change? The Nature of Culture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Culture refers to the collectivity of human activities and symbols that are generated to give deeper meaning and significance to these activities. According to Findley and Rothney (2006, p.14), culture may be â€Å"understood as systems of symbols and meanings that even their creators contest, that lack fixed boundaries, that are constantly in flux, and that interact and compete with one another. † The culture of any given society may be seen in the lifestyle of people, the music and literature, as well as the painting, sculpture, film, and in the technology being used by the society. Culture may also be seen in terms of consumption patterns of people. According to anthropologists, however, culture is far broader than consumption because consumption falls into the broader framework that gives meaning to consumption goods being purchased by people. The science, religion, and relationships between and among people and institutions are all part of culture (Findley Rothney, 2006). On the other hand, cultural anthropologists use the term â€Å"culture† to denote the process and the ability of humans to think about, classify, and communicate experiences and other things in symbols. This means that the experiences, goods, services, and commodities that humans get access to are assigned particular meanings and importance. This process becomes even more important in the case of communities where individuals interact with each other and with the institutions and traditions of the community or society (Findley Rothney, 2006). Culture, the Individual, and Culture Change   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An individual gets the symbols, traditions, and modes of thinking that are prevalent in the society. Given this, an individual’s mode of thinking is shaped by the culture of the society that they are in. Cultural change, no matter how difficult it appears to be, happens all the time. As generations come and go, the modes of behavior, conduct, and arts of a society change because new inventions and factors in the society are introduced. This can be explained by Thomas Kuhn’s theory on paradigm change. When new technologies, ideas, and processes are introduced, the symbols also change and the way that these processes are understood must change as well. Take for example the nature of the rapid technological change in our society. These changes are happening now at a breakneck speed. Instant communications, instant foods, and other instantaneous processes affect arts, music, and more fundamentally, the nature of interactions between and among people. The prevailing culture and traditions, however, will not simply be supplemented by the emerging new culture. Traditions also affect ways of thinking and how these changes shall be viewed in the broader society. With fast technological change, and the rapid obsolescence of gadgets and technology, the mode of thinking in the society is also changing. The elements of tradition and the modes of thinking in the present culture are also necessary for the transition to be effected. As the negotiation between the old culture and the emerging one proceeds, a new culture emerges in the process. Reference Findley, C. V. Rothney, J. A. (2006). Twentieth-century World, 6th edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.