One of the truly amazing qualities of being human is the diversity found among our species. We are animals, remember, and in many ways we are all the same. It is our culture that makes us who we are, possibly more than anything else. By being a member of a specific group, we define ourselves as individuals. The cultural possibilities seem endless. In the age of the Internet, it may be hard to imagine a time in which people were not all connected. How did the world become so diversified?
What is culture?
Culture can be defined as a set of standards, ideas, and behavioral patterns shared by members of a society that are accepted or known as proper or typical for that society. In other words, everything you think, feel, and do is a product of your culture, at least to some degree. Even pieces of art are part of a society's culture, though it is the symbolism of such objects that has cultural meaning. Although different cultures are often divided by geographical location and/or ethnicity, culture is not necessarily defined by such boundaries.
By standard definitions, there are three main characteristics of culture. It is shared, learned, and symbolic.
Culture is shared: People living in a society together share a common culture; it is this shared set of ideals, values, and behaviors that give the actions of individuals meaning within the group. Individuals occupying a specific locality create a society; in turn, society collectively creates and maintains culture. Societies preserve culture through knowledge, traditions, and physical objects such as buildings and works of art. Variations within a shared culture (differences between gender roles, for example) do exist, but these variations are also given specific meaning in the context of culture.
Culture is learned: We are not born with culture; it is not biologically inherited. The children of a society learn culture through the environment in which they grow up as well as the teachings of adults. This process of transmitting culture from one generation to the next is called enculturation and happens in every human society.
Culture is symbolic: Humans create and transmit culture through their ability to interpret symbolic meaning. Aspects of culture, including religion, art, economic systems, and even language, are understood through symbols that the human mind can attribute meaning to. People use many different types of symbols to convey complex thoughts and ideas to one another; this is how culture is maintained and transmitted.
The human condition
Though culture is a definable phenomenon generally shared by members of the same society, the interpretation of such a concept may depend upon an individual's personal perception. At the same time, culture greatly influences the development of every human being.
Self-awareness is the ability to identify and evaluate oneself. People are not born with this ability; it develops gradually over the years as one develops through infancy, childhood, and into adulthood. In fact, self-awareness can continue to grow and change throughout a person's entire lifespan. This process is influenced by culture through both child-rearing practices and the behavioral environment of one's society.
Human beings have a universal psychological desire to perceive things with as little uncertainty and ambiguity as possible. This is how they make sense out of the world around them. Culture gives people a position of reference and, in essence, explains their perceived environment. It sorts the world out in learned symbols that offer meaning and structure to the observer.
Personality is defined as the distinctive way an individual thinks, feels, and behaves. A person's personality is a product of various factors, most of which are a result of one's culture. Recent studies provide evidence that genetics may play a role in the development of personality. Anthropologists and many psychologists agree, however, that enculturation is the leading factor in shaping personality.
Culture is understandably viewed differently through the eyes of each individual, and in every society there are examples of what's known as cultural variation. However, culture itself remains an enormous influence on the development of human personality and one's perception of the world.
Evolution made culture possible
Through the processes of natural selection and adaptability, Homo sapiens (modern humans) evolved from their primate ancestors. Some people dispute this theory (an example of cultural variation), but it is supported by the vast majority of scientists in all fields of study relating to human beings. The physical changes undergone through millions of years of evolution paved the way for the development of culture.
The gradual skeletal changes in our primate ancestors eventually gave them the ability to assume an upright position and walk on only two feet when needed. This bipedal stance, combined with their adaptability to move and live in the trees, gave the primates great survival advantages over other species. They could stand and see predators from a distance. They could grab their food and bring it to the safety of a treetop, while their infants cling to them and reach safety as well. Primates continued to survive. They began to develop great depth perception and hands with thumbs, two key characteristics of later human achievements.
