Culture as an Important Facet of Society
A society without culture is as good as dead. Discuss.
A society according to Thomas, L (1995:25) is defined as “a group of mutually interdependent people who have organized in such a way as to share a common culture and feeling of unity”. In other ways society consists of people, and culture consists of products that people create.
Culture according to Giddens (2005:45) refers to “the pattern of human activity and the symbols, which give significance to this activity”. Culture is represented through the art, literature, costumes, customs and traditions of a community. Different cultures exist in different parts of the world. The natural environment greatly affects the lifestyle of the people of that region, thus shaping their culture. The diversity in the cultures around the world is also a result of the mindsets of people inhabiting different regions of the world.
There are several components of human culture namely; symbols, language, values and beliefs, norms, and technology.
Symbols are anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture. The simplest most everyday things are symbols for examples a wave of the hand can be a friendly gesture of hello. However, if not done properly with all the fingers in the upright position it can be a rude gesture and a great sign of disrespect. The honking of a car horn is a symbol to grab someone's attention to their surroundings. Even something as common as a kiss is a symbol of love and caring.
Language is a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with each other. Language can be words or sounds that are spoken or words that are written. For instance some people believe that dogs communicate with each other through barking, this may be their own language.
Values are culturally defined standards by which people assess desirability, goodness, and beauty, and that serve as broad guidelines for social living. Beliefs are specific statements that people hold to be true.
A society according to Thomas, L (1995:25) is defined as “a group of mutually interdependent people who have organized in such a way as to share a common culture and feeling of unity”. In other ways society consists of people, and culture consists of products that people create.
Culture according to Giddens (2005:45) refers to “the pattern of human activity and the symbols, which give significance to this activity”. Culture is represented through the art, literature, costumes, customs and traditions of a community. Different cultures exist in different parts of the world. The natural environment greatly affects the lifestyle of the people of that region, thus shaping their culture. The diversity in the cultures around the world is also a result of the mindsets of people inhabiting different regions of the world.
There are several components of human culture namely; symbols, language, values and beliefs, norms, and technology.
Symbols are anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by people who share a culture. The simplest most everyday things are symbols for examples a wave of the hand can be a friendly gesture of hello. However, if not done properly with all the fingers in the upright position it can be a rude gesture and a great sign of disrespect. The honking of a car horn is a symbol to grab someone's attention to their surroundings. Even something as common as a kiss is a symbol of love and caring.
Language is a system of symbols that allows people to communicate with each other. Language can be words or sounds that are spoken or words that are written. For instance some people believe that dogs communicate with each other through barking, this may be their own language.
Values are culturally defined standards by which people assess desirability, goodness, and beauty, and that serve as broad guidelines for social living. Beliefs are specific statements that people hold to be true.