What is Culture Essay examples - 1828 Words

The first definition of ‘culture’ by Oxford’s Dictionary is ‘art, literature, music and other intellectual expressions of a particular society or time’ (â€Å"Culture,† Oxford’s Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English). Anthropologist of culture, Raymond Williams argued that the term ‘culture’ was first used in reference to the cultivation of crops which was later associated in relation to the cultivation of the human mind, hence the expression ‘cultured/cultivated person’. The noun of process thenceforth grew into a noun of configuration in the later 18th century where culture meant ‘the generalisation of the ‘spirit’ which informed the ‘whole way of life’ of a distinct people’ (Williams, 1981) implying a common ‘way of life’ shared†¦show more content†¦Marx, as cited in Chris Barker’s Cultural Studies – Theory and Practi ce, argued that human beings main concern is to produce their means of survival, i.e. food and clothes, through labour consequently creating themselves. He further argued that in the capitalist society, culture equals power as the bourgeoisies – those own the economic means and relations of production, controls the cultural production, the distribution mechanisms of cultural products and the cultural structure of a society – i.e. art, culture and politics. Economic determinism although is not autonomous, is essential to the understanding of culture where the structure and meaning of a specific cultural product is determined by the profit-driven motive and class relations where it examines the cultural trend in terms of their ‘own rules, logics, development and affectivity’ (Barker, 2009: 56). Marx predicted that with the arrival of capitalism, consequently comes the fall of it as the conflict of class will drive the proletariats, the labourers, to overthro w capitalism through organizations of defence, trade unions and political parties thus replacing it with a class-less society, and common ownership and unbiased allotment of products. Marx, together with Frederick Engels, argued that the ideas instilled in the proletariat’s mind are only the ideas of the ruling class driven by materialistic conditions. TheseShow MoreRelated What is Culture?1459 Words   |  6 PagesQuestion One What is culture? Culture can be interpreted in multiple ways and have many different meanings to different individuals. Consequently, it is because of those facts that a definition is so hard to create. To some, culture results from consumed meanings by a social group (Lewis, 2008). Others view culture as something based on economics and servitude (Marx, as cited by Lewis, 2008). Hebdige ambiguous concept As I attempt to tease out a personal definition of culture based on my ownRead MoreWhat is Culture?1622 Words   |  7 PagesWebster’s dictionary defines culture as â€Å"the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time†. (Culture) This paper will attempt to inform the reader of those influences that were instrumental in molding what is the modern culture of Italy. The geography, history, language, art, food, and religion of the Italian region all combine to form one of the richest cultures on planet earth. This culture has also been a key influencer of western culture as a whole. By better understandingRead MoreWhat Makes A Culture Or Culture?2443 Words   |  10 Pages Chapter Four 4.1 Helpful for My Career: Choosing a culture or cultures to learn about would help me to understand the way of doing business in other countries. In addition, it would help me to cope with diversified workforce and working in teams to achieve objectives and higher performance level. Cultural Intelligence: It refers to a person’s capacity to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment. It is similar to emotional intelligence; however it goes a step further. Emotional intelligenceRead MoreWhat Is Organizational Culture?1204 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is organizational culture? â€Å"organizational culture refers to the beliefs and values that have existed in an organization for a long time, and to the beliefs of the staff and the foreseen value of their work that will influence their attitudes and behaviors† (Tsai, 2011, â€Å"Abstract,† para. 1). Yafang Tsai (2011) defines it as â€Å"the belief that can guide staff in knowing what to do and what not to do, including practices, values, and assumptions about their work (para. 6). It can even be definedRead MoreWhat Culture And How Their Culture Affects Their Healthcare1216 Words   |  5 Pages1. What culture(s) do you personally identify with? Cultures I identify with are I am a female, Slovenian, German, Catholic individual. However, the main culture I identify with is the nursing culture. It’s essential we as nurses, focus on holistic care. This assignment assisted me in completing that; as I was able to learn about my patient’s background and the culture that they grew up in. 2. What are the culture(s) your patient identifies with, and specifically which one(s) will you focus on inRead MoreWhat Does Culture Mean? Essay1319 Words   |  6 PagesOutline Introduction Question the Reader What is culture? Establish Thesis My culture....†nerd† Explain Life Events Much Stress School Life Relate back to thesis Introduce Solution #1 Gaming Introduce Solution #2 Family Italian influences Conclude and relate back to personal, school Essay Dominic Despres English 10 Instructor Merrick November 1, 2016 Survivor What are you? How many times on a daily basis are you asked this question? You, like me, wouldn’t probably just say a human, but you wouldRead MoreWhat Is Culture And Cultural Competence?1328 Words   |  6 Pagesglobalization has resulted in people from different cultures and backgrounds interacting more closely with one another. This is clearly evident when it comes to SNA for their employees and clients come from all over the world. We as a company will need to recognize and appreciate the role that culture plays in our lives and the lives of others in order make our partnership successful. What is culture and cultural competence? Per Wikipedia, Culture is what people eat, how they dress, beliefs they holdRead MoreWhat s Culture And Religion?1191 Words   |  5 Pages Islam is a religion practiced by billions of people worldwide; with this, many cultures have embraced the faith; which is difficult at times to make the comparison and differentiate between what’s culture and religion. An example of this is marriage, as previous stated, Islam speaks against arranged marriages that are force. Arrange marriages is a common practice in many cultures which strives till’ this day. It’s a marriage that is much easier for families to commit to because many marry withinRead MoreCulture And Religion : What Is Religion?1758 Words   |  8 PagesCulture and Religion What is Culture? What is Religion? Which predates the other? Are they different from another? Is one a byproduct of another? Or are they one in the same? These fundamental questions will dictate whether people and their beliefs make up the interpretation of their environment or have definitive proof beyond that of a theory, substantiating Religion not just as a social construct of culture, but an absolute for acknowledgement and submission of an individual and more importantlyRead MoreBody Paragraph : What Is Culture?1892 Words   |  8 Pages Body Paragraph I: What is Culture? Culture may be defined as the learned and shared beliefs, values and life ways guide a group’s members in patterned ways of thinking and acting, are generally transmitted inter-generationally and influence one s thinking and action modes. Culture is often compared to a blueprint; it guides the actions that impact caregiving, health and well being. Extending far beyond ethnicity and social norms, culture, includes religious, socioeconomic, geographic, occupational