WHAT IS CULTURE? [AUDIO]

Summary

This script delves into the multifaceted concept of culture, tracing its etymology to the Latin 'colere' and exploring its various interpretations across different societies. It contrasts the German emphasis on high art and philosophy, the American focus on popular culture and societal structures, and the UK's blend of both. Scholars' definitions range from Tylor's broad framework to the semiotic perspective of culture as symbolic communication. The script also touches on cultural materialism and psychological approaches, highlighting the necessity to identify one's perspective when studying culture.

Takeaways

• 📚 The origin of the word 'culture' comes from the Latin word 'colere', which means both 'care' and 'cultivation', reflecting the dual aspects of human interaction with nature.
• 🌱 Culture is often seen as a broad and vague concept, encompassing various interpretations and understandings, which can lead to different definitions and perspectives.
• 🏛 Two typical meanings of culture are presented: one as the mastery and domination of nature by humans, and the other as the care and conservation of nature for its own sake.
• 🎨 In Germany, culture is associated with 'justice culture' and is manifested through great works in art, philosophy, and scholarship, highlighting the importance of intellectual achievements.
• 🏙️ The United States is described as a country deeply influenced by the bourgeois revolution, with a culture defined by capitalism and the absence of traditional feudal structures.
• 🇬🇧 The UK's cultural definition is a blend of German and American perspectives, combining the importance of great works with the social and economic structures of capitalism.
• 🔍 Edward Tylor's definition of culture as a 'complex whole' including knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, and customs has been criticized for being too all-encompassing.
• 🏛️ Other scholars like Malinowski have proposed that culture consists of both material artifacts and a system of customs, offering a more balanced view of culture's tangible and intangible aspects.
• 📜 The semiotic approach to culture views it as a text to be interpreted through symbols and signs, emphasizing the need for thick descriptions to understand cultural practices fully.
• 🌱 Cultural materialism, as proposed by Harris, focuses on observable and quantifiable factors such as ecological conditions and technology to explain cultural variation and change.
• 🧠 The psychological approach to culture since the 1950s sees it as a set of rules and information that influences individual behavior, acquired through social transmission like teaching and imitation.
• 🌟 In summary, culture is widely shared among members of a social group and is characterized by the shared virtue of belonging to that group, with definitions varying across different fields of study.

Q & A

What is the origin of the word 'culture'?

The word 'culture' originates from the Latin word 'colere', which means care or tending, and also refers to the occupation of a peasant.

What are the two typical meanings of the word 'culture' as discussed in the script?

The two typical meanings are: 1) Culture as the human mastery and domination of nature and oneself, and 2) Culture as the act of taking care of something, which is not necessarily about dominating it but rather conserving it for its own sake.

How does Germany define culture according to the script?

Germany defines culture as 'justice culture' or a culture that manifests itself in great works such as art, philosophy, or scholarship, often associated with educated individuals.

What is the American perspective on culture as presented in the script?

The American perspective on culture is influenced by the bourgeois revolution and is characterized by a society arranged in a consistently bourgeois fashion, with a focus on capitalists and rich individuals.

How does the United Kingdom combine the concepts of culture from Germany and the United States?

The UK combines the concepts by having a culture rooted in social processes, which includes the presence of a monarch and great works of art and philosophy, as well as popular British products and capitalists.

What is Edward Tylor's definition of culture?

Edward Tylor defines culture as a complex whole that includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.

What criticism does the script mention about Tylor's definition of culture?

Critics argue that Tylor's definition is too broad and vague because it lumps psychological items like beliefs with external items like art, making it difficult to distinguish between internal and external cultural aspects.

What is the semiotic approach to defining culture?

The semiotic approach defines culture as something historically transmitted, a pattern of meanings embodied in symbols, which requires interpretation through the investigation of symbols and signs.

How does Clifford Geertz define culture in the context of semiotics?

Clifford Geertz defines culture as a text that needs to be interpreted through thick descriptions, which involve looking at behavioral practices and describing them in sufficient detail to trace inferential associations between observed events.

What is the concept of cultural materialism as introduced by Marvin Harris?

Cultural materialism, according to Marvin Harris, is an empirical science that focuses on observable and quantifiable entities and events, such as ecological conditions and technologies, to explain cultural variation and change.

How does the psychological approach to culture differ from other approaches mentioned in the script?

The psychological approach views culture in terms of widely distributed, lasting mental and public representations that affect individual behavior, acquired through teaching, imitation, and social transmission.

What does the script suggest about the necessity of identifying one's perspective when studying culture?

The script suggests that when studying culture, it is important to identify and locate one's purpose and perspective, as the definition and understanding of culture can vary greatly depending on the field of study and the researcher's point of view.