The Importance of Culture
Culture is a complex system of values, beliefs and norms that shapes behavior in human society. It is a central topic in the social sciences, and it is essential to our ability to build relationships with people all over the world who have different viewpoints. You don’t have to be an expert in cultural differences to understand how important culture is for the development of healthy, diverse communities.
Culture defines who you are and what you value. A person’s character and personality traits, ideas, ideals, and beliefs are all influenced by his culture. It can influence how a person interacts with others and even determine his or her overt motor activity. It can hold the sex urge in check and lead to premarital chastity or vows of celibacy for life, and it can also cause a person to disembowel himself to remove a stain of dishonor.
All human societies possess a culture, which may be understood broadly as a way of life and a set of attitudes and beliefs about the world. It includes the behaviors and institutions of a community, the laws it establishes, the arts it creates, the knowledge, customs, and traditions that make up a community’s identity, and more. It is the overall way of living that distinguishes a people from other groups and that gives each person a unique outlook on the world.
Historically, scholars have analyzed the cultures of mankind in general terms and of specific groups (such as Seneca or Eskimo) or of geographic regions (the North American Plains). This approach has facilitated comparisons and the development of comparative theories of culture.
A scholarly alternative is to view culture as a system of traits that can be meaningfully organized into categories, such as areas, occupations, configurations and patterns (similar to psychological factors). Clark Wissler argued that all particular cultures possess the same general characteristics, and his concept of universal culture pattern is still in use.
When two cultures clash, it can be difficult to find common ground, but there are ways that we can bridge these gaps. For example, a community can be more successful when it embraces diversity and promotes tolerance and understanding of other cultures. It is vital to the community’s well-being that a healthy prosperous culture exists.
The more diverse a culture is, the more economic opportunities it has, as there is a greater pool of creativity and a broader range of skills that can be utilized to grow the economy. By being more open and honest in communication, a community can build strong, healthy relationships across cultures to benefit the whole community. This is true in business and in all aspects of community building.
Culture is a complex system of values, beliefs and norms that shapes behavior in human society. It is a central topic in the social sciences, and it is essential to our ability to build relationships with people all over the world who have different viewpoints. You don’t have to be an expert in cultural differences to understand how important culture is for the development of healthy, diverse communities. Culture defines who you are and what you value. A person’s character and personality traits, ideas, ideals, and beliefs are all influenced by his culture. It can influence how a person interacts with others and even determine his or her overt motor activity. It can hold the sex urge in check and lead to premarital chastity or vows of celibacy for life, and it can also cause a person to disembowel himself to remove a stain of dishonor. All human societies possess a culture, which may be understood broadly as a way of life and a set of attitudes and beliefs about the world. It includes the behaviors and institutions of a community, the laws it establishes, the arts it creates, the knowledge, customs, and traditions that make up a community’s identity, and more. It is the overall way of living that distinguishes a people from other groups and that gives each person a unique outlook on the world. Historically, scholars have analyzed the cultures of mankind in general terms and of specific groups (such as Seneca or Eskimo) or of geographic regions (the North American Plains). This approach has facilitated comparisons and the development of comparative theories of culture. A scholarly alternative is to view culture as a system of traits that can be meaningfully organized into categories, such as areas, occupations, configurations and patterns (similar to psychological factors). Clark Wissler argued that all particular cultures possess the same general characteristics, and his concept of universal culture pattern is still in use. When two cultures clash, it can be difficult to find common ground, but there are ways that we can bridge these gaps. For example, a community can be more successful when it embraces diversity and promotes tolerance and understanding of other cultures. It is vital to the community’s well-being that a healthy prosperous culture exists. The more diverse a culture is, the more economic opportunities it has, as there is a greater pool of creativity and a broader range of skills that can be utilized to grow the economy. By being more open and honest in communication, a community can build strong, healthy relationships across cultures to benefit the whole community. This is true in business and in all aspects of community building.