Unit 4 What is culture I: To engage or not to engage

Chamberlain, Talking About Good and Bad, Chapters 1-5,

Overview

The term, culture, is one we all use in daily conversation, but when was the last time you tried to explain it to someone? Defining culture is a bit like trying to define some other important words like religion, beauty, or knowledge. We use these words and have some idea of what they mean but coming up with definitions can be challenging.

When we set out to define the term, culture, questions immediately arise. Are there different kinds of culture, or different uses of this term? Biologists speak of cultures growing in the petri dishes in their labs. Are these kinds of culture related in some way to the ways anthropologists speak of culture? Is culture the same as society? We sometimes use these two words interchangeably, but do they refer to the same things? If so, why do we have the two different words?

More questions: Are there different layers of culture and could this be what is in view with the term, subculture? Some people even speak of cultural universals. At the end of the day our question is this: can we find some common ideas which run through the various ways we use the term culture and tie them together?

In this unit, we will seek not only a definition of this important word but also a broader understanding of it which includes some of the different ways we use it. As we do, we will also come to see how powerfully our cultures have shaped who we are including our perspectives, our viewpoints on the issues we encounter, and even the ways we process these issues. This shaping happens subconsciously in ways we are usually unaware of since we are immersed in our cultures. We’re like fish swimming in the waters of culture and the fact that we do not know or suspect culture’s shaping influence on us is part of what makes it so powerful. It also explains why people from outside our culture can often see things we do not about our own culture.

Once we have explored the meaning and influence of culture, we will turn to the fascinating task of describing our cultures. This will involve identifying defining characteristic of culture and we encourage you to begin thinking about some for your own culture. If someone asked you to give four or five terms that describe the culture in which you live or were raised, which terms might you suggest and why? What, exactly, makes something a defining characteristic of any culture. What must a cultural trait be or do to rise to this level?

Welcome to a fascinating journey as we explore the concept of culture. Few things have influenced us more.

Topics

This unit is divided into 2 topics:

Defining Culture
Identifying Cultural Traits

Learning Outcomes

When you have completed this unit, you should be able to:

Define and describe the term, culture, and demonstrate how the various ways we use this term are all connected.
Explain how cultural activism is made possible by the dynamic nature of culture.
Communicate to a friend what is meant by a defining characteristic of any culture.
Suggest ways in which one can identify defining characteristics of one’s own culture.
Describe culture’s powerful shaping influence.

Activity Checklist

Here is a checklist of learning activities you will benefit from in completing this unit. You may find it useful for planning your work.

Activity 4.1: Read chapter 4 of the Chamberlain textbook and complete reading exercise.

Activity 4.2: Watch the video “How Culture Drives Behaviours”

Activity 4.3: Write definitions to key terms.

Assessment

Unit 4 Student forum presentations (20%) and forum interaction (20%).
Reflective Learning Journal (20%) – due at the end of the course.
Final Project (40%): This project will be handed in to the professor on the final day of class. You should be working with your group through the steps of the project as set out in the course syllabus.

Resources

Here are the resources you will need to complete this unit:

Chamberlain, Paul. (2005). Talking About Good and Bad Without Getting Ugly: a guide to moral persuasion. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press.
Other online resources will be provided in the unit.

4.1 Defining Culture

When we address important concepts like culture, the first order of business is to define terms. Definitions provide precise understandings of the concepts in question and also ensure we are all talking about the same things when we use the terms.

English scholar, Sir Edward B. Tylor (1832-1917), a founding figure of cultural anthropology, developed a definition that is still commonly used today. Culture, he said, is “the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society” (Primitive Culture, first published in 1871, Cambridge: Cambridge University press, 2010, p. 1).

This definition points to four important facets of culture. The first is that cultural traits are acquired or learned. We acquire them by living and interacting with others in our particular societies. We did not have them at birth and do not possess them inherently. This means there is nothing automatic or necessary about the specific cultural traits any of us possesses. We could have different ones and, in fact, surely would if we had been raised in different societies. As you digest the course text reading for this topic, it’s a good exercise to ask yourself if you think you would be the same person you are if you had been raised in an entirely different cultural setting. Most of us readily admit we would not. This point is highly significant and we will return to it later.

The second facet of culture to which Edward B. Tylor’s definition points is one we noted earlier, namely that culture is dynamic, not static. In this unit we will consider even more serious implications of this feature. The dynamic nature of culture means the shared knowledge and beliefs of cultures do not remain the same over time, and this leads to changes in the laws, morals, and customs of culture as well. We all recognize this by simply looking back on our own cultures and noticing that they have changed over the past ten, or twenty, and especially thirty years. If we go back fifty years, we may feel like we are walking into a different world, and in some ways, we are.

There are other implications as well. The fact that culture is dynamic leads to the existence of cultural activism, and even culture wars, as people who either deeply value or abhor certain cultural traits actively seek to either retain or overthrow them. If culture were purely static and unchanging, why bother trying to change it or stop it from changing? Because culture is dynamic, it also makes sense to ask the question of our next topic, ‘Can I make a difference in my culture.’

Third, Tylor’s definition provides an insight into biologists’ use of the term culture. In the petri dish is a group of living organisms which are constantly interacting with each other and changing. It’s really a microcosm of what takes place on the larger level.

This leads to the fourth facet, also something we noted earlier, namely, the powerful shaping influence of our cultures upon us. This should not be thought of as good or bad, but simply a reality. It is not an overstatement to say that the way we interpret and understand the world and a wide variety of issues, stems in large part from the culture in which we grow up. By acknowledging the obvious fact that, had we been raised in a different society, we would be different people, we implicitly acknowledge culture’s powerful influence on us.

As you work through the reading for this topic, we encourage you to think about what the influence of culture means for how we engage with others around us. More importantly, consider how it might impact the way we interact with people from other cultures who, naturally, will see things differently than we do.

One last intriguing question to reflect on as you read: since we are immersed in our cultures, are we even in a good position to understand our cultural influences, much less to assess or evaluate them? Or do we need help from someone outside?

Activity : Read, View and Reflect

Read Chapter 1 of the Chamberlain textbook and write the important details from the chapter, key terms, and concepts. Then, choose and shortly describe the three most important aspects of the reading, and justify your choices. This exercise will help you as you complete the Reflective Journal Assessment for this course.

The following chart can help you to organize your ideas for your reflective journal:

*Key terms and concepts*	*Description*	*Justifications, reflections, and ideas*

Next, watch the following TED Talk “How Culture Drives Behaviours” where the Julien S. Bourrelle explains how by changing the cultural glasses, we can change the way we interpret the world.

4.2 Identifying Cultural Traits

In the overview of this unit, you were encouraged to begin thinking about terms you might use to describe your culture. In this topic, we will see that there is more than one way to ask question we are getting at. Here are a couple fill in the blank ones:

We live in a ____________________culture.
_____________________is a widely held value in my culture.

Both statements are pressing us to think about defining characteristics of our culture. By defining characteristics, we mean the most foundational underlying terms and values which are held by most people across one’s culture. These are the prevailing cultural values or assumptions.

One way to think about this is to ask the following thought-provoking question: when people disagree about something, is there something deeper upon which they agree which, in fact, makes their specific disagreement possible? You may want to read this question again to catch fully what it is asking.

An example might help. Suppose one person accuses another of breaking a promise. The second person vociferously retorts that she did no such thing and points back to the actual words she had said. “You’re just interpreting my words as a promise, but I never meant them that way.” The first person, not to be outdone, responds, “We both know you meant it as a promise. It’s how you got me to go along with you.” And the unhappy discussion continues. Can you see a deeper idea on which they both agree which makes their disagreement possible? Before reading the next paragraph, take a minute to try to identify it.

They both agree that keeping promises is a good and honourable thing to do. If they did not, they would not be having this disagreement. The second person would simply respond, “Yes, I broke my promise; so, what?”

Perhaps you are wondering, “But doesn’t everybody in all cultures, agree on this?” Who doesn’t believe we should keep out promises?” If that is what you’re thinking, consider the next example.

Suppose two of your friends disagree about the meaning of a particular passage in a book they have both read. One insists it means one thing, while the other argues that the author obviously meant something different. As you listen, can you see the deeper idea on which these two people agree, and which makes this disagreement possible? Again, take a minute and try to identify it before reading on.

They both agree that the text they have read has a correct meaning and this is determined by author’s intent. If it did not have a correct meaning, they would not be arguing about what the correct meaning is. This is important because it points up a more foundational idea upon which many others around us would likely agree as well. Interestingly, however, in this case, plenty of people do not agree to this. The term, hermeneutical pluralism refers to the view that texts have a variety of meanings, and the meaning of any text emerges when particular readers merge their own perspectives with that of the text. According to this way of thinking, there can be as many meanings as there are readers, or even readings. So, when people argue about the correct meaning of a text, they are showing they are not hermeneutical pluralists. (By the way, you don’t have to remember that term 😊). So is the idea that texts have correct meanings a defining characteristic of your culture, or not?

For an example of an important cultural characteristic upon which cultures clearly differ, consider the following scenario. An election in a western country is underway and you decide to attend an all-candidates meeting to become informed on the political parties and platforms. At one point in the meeting, one candidate points to another and proclaims, “If your party’s policy on voting rights is ever enacted, it will mean the end of true democracy in our country.” The other candidate immediately jumps to his feet, bangs his fist on the table, and shouts, “That is simply untrue, and I demand an apology! Our policy will not injure democracy; in fact, it will strengthen it!” Can you see the underlying idea upon which both candidates agree which makes this heated disagreement possible. Again, before reading the next paragraph, see if you can identify it.

In this case, they both agree, in fact insist, that democracy is a valued form of government. For all the other differences they have, both candidates want to be seen as advocates and protectors of democracy. If not, they would not be having this disagreement.

The point is that throughout any culture, there is a whole set of ideas which are agreed upon at a foundational level. They are our cultural assumptions, the defining characteristics of our culture. Can you think of others?

Activity : Terms Definition

Read Chapter 5 of the Chamberlain textbook and identify the key terms used in the chapter. Create a table similar to the one below to organize your thoughts.

Term	Definition
Truth
Tolerance
Pluralism

As you complete your reading ask yourself these questions:

Questions to Consider:

Which cultural values or beliefs would I identify as defining cultural characteristics of my culture?
How, precisely, have I seen these cultural characteristics demonstrated?
How have these cultural values shaped my own perspectives and the way I see the world?

Assessment

Unit 4 Student forum presentations (20%) and forum interaction (4%).
Reflective Learning Journal (20%) – due at the end of the course.
Final Project (40%): This project will be handed in to the professor on the final day of class. You should be working with your group through the steps of the project as set out in the course syllabus.

Unit 4 forum interaction and Student Presentation

See the Assessment section for instructions on the discussion forum for this unit.

Reflective Learning Journal

Continue to take notes on your learning as read the course texts. See the Assessment section for instructions, including tips on reading and engagement strategies.

Checking your Learning

Before you move on to the next unit, you may want to check to make sure that you are able to:

Define and describe the term, culture, and demonstrate how the various ways we use this term are all connected.
Explain how cultural activism is made possible by the dynamic nature of culture.
Communicate to a friend what is meant by a defining characteristic of any culture.
Suggest ways in which one can identify defining characteristics of one’s own culture.
Describe culture’s powerful shaping influence.