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Sunday, July 29, 2018

Culture What it is ? and how do you define it?




Culture

What it is ? and how do you define it?

It is both wrong and narrow perception to  portray such sweeping generalizations.

Every region and every society has its own culture and traditions which you may like or may not like.



Etymologically from the Latin ‘Cultura’ or French‘Culture’ primarily meaning “a cultivating, tilling agricultural activity” or probably from Latin ‘cultus’, which means 'care’ from thereon from late 18th  century it expanded in connotation with varying degrees of impact figuratively mostly to refer positively to tending ,guarding; and psychologically and socially creating a common social coherent identity based on certain activities, attitudes.

For information:-The term 'cult' which suggests some kind of a religious organization is also from the word culture, indicating a group identity.

Culture, in its multiple avatars definitely affects us but it need not necessarily determine every act we do or define or confine anyone of us, especially if we are grown up adults who can make our own choice. We need not reject any culture but we also need not become susceptible guinea pigs for deculturization.

A typical anthropological definition of culture by Henry Pratt Fairchild in his Dictionary of Sociology:- “A collective name for all behavior patterns socially acquired and transmitted by means of symbols; hence a name for all the distinctive achievements of human groups, including not only such items as language, tool-making, industry, art, science, law, government, morals and religion, but also the material instruments or artifacts in which cultural achievements are embodied and by which intellectual cultural features are given practical effect, such as buildings, tools, machines, communication devices, art objects, etc”.
William Butler Yeats, “For without culture or holiness, which are always the gift of the very few, a man may renounce wealth or any other external thing, but he cannot renounce hatred, envy, jealousy, revenge. Culture is the sanctity of the intellect”.

From a speech of  Prof S.A.R.P.V Chaturvedi 

"CulturePerfect system of action and reaction is the soul of culture. It deals with personal behaviour, about his instincts and reflexes, spherical behaviour in the environments of learning, family and occupation, and public behaviour, which is action and response in various social circumstances.

Any wider impact is a reflection of collections of inner-space transitions. Culture shapes individual and paves the way for spreading of the same luminosity in a mass. As per Culturalism theory, all perfect systems emerge from a resourceful cultural pool.

Human mind is prone to anger, avarice, aversion, anxiety and apprehension. The ethical dimension of culture produces virtuous antibodies for the suppression of the same, and replaces the space by estimable attributes. Onerous exercises for self control and determination are prescribed by ethical guides.

In social angle, ethical section of culture denotes

Respect and Obedience to nature, elders, learned, leaders, masters, faiths, nation, law and parents.
Love and Dignity in marital relations, friendship, customers and clientele.
Mercy and Service to downtrodden, inefficient, abandoned, aberrant and the animals.
Decency and Discipline in the forms of non-intrusion, non-violence, perseverance, magnanimity; truth, honesty, and transparency.

Education and elite association are few among the methods for gaining culture.

Culture directs the intelligence to configure different explicit forms of arts through its aesthetic dimension. These cultural derivatives offer innumerable options to celebrate and boost joy, exhaust and eliminate fear and misery, and relish tranquility and valuable opportunities to expose and absorb others to share and unite.

Music, dance, drama, painting, natural appreciation and humour are few of the aesthetic models of culture.

Culture is one among the hottest topics of debate today. Cultural nihilism says that culture is a self organised product for self and external conveniences. It prevents the society from understanding the values of life and makes existence and achievements lifeless.

Cultural Extremism is at the rigid end which never admits tolerance and change. It never minds about the reason and adaptability factors. Cultural extremism is accused by liberals as a cordon for social affinity, scientific and national progress.

Cultural Liberalism is the liberty to fashion ones own culture without any standard base. It represents adaptation and fusion from all sides without assessing its suitability. It is an abode for recurrent modifications on fascination grounds.

Personality is defined by appearance along with attire and etiquette. Tradition blames the modern way of dressing and cosmetic bounty that they naturally lead to precarious exhibitionism.
Co-learning and Co-working of genders have become a necessary part of the society. Lack of parental guardianship and modernity license have patronised new art forms of dating, valentine bondage, premarital and extramarital relations, addiction and various levels of ethical calamity.
Opportunities which have promoted the excellence of a minor society cannot be justified for the moral insecurity and depreciation of the mass.

Self control and avoidance of unfavourable circumstances, both are eyes of cultural vigilance.

Tradition includes dress-code, demeanours and flexibility or by its popular name, social freedom, as diagnostic devices for nature, impression and depiction of inner discipline. It describes about the subtle impact of every inch of thought, exposure and action in character, which may not be digestible to the fashion world.

Modernism thinks that this in and out has no connectivity at all and discipline can be maintained with self determination, irrespective of any external frame.

Unfortunately, this is branded as a western culture, whereas it is a degraded form of global cultural stamina, which has infected the western community. Due to continuous engagement in scientific and economic pursuits, west has lost its immunity in self and social control, which has made it the first and the worst vulnerable region for ethical degradation.
Failures in parental, matrimonial and generation bondage have created a new trend of untouchability where there is nobody to touch and care. Juvenile prisoners, addicts and suicidal warriors throng in competition. Social refineries of the west are now in serious rumination about regaining ethical awareness and consensus by investing all the time and resources that they have minted by its dereliction.

Without cultural framework, any self styled discipline, audacity and insecure freedom will certainly dismantle any orderly society or even an organised one.

In the present context of Interfaith, cultural exchange, in its level-headed way, can tremendously lubricate collective survival mechanism. Festivals and art forms of every faith and system are to be demonstrated with their essential messages, so that it can kindle involvement in their own people and others. This get together shatters the cloud of selfishness and egoism, thereby binding everybody with inborn love."




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