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Posted by Kevin on 2010年6月17日
- Complexity
Culture is a complex concept – it covers traditions, language, clothing, foods, behavior, history, and tons of other aspects of societies.
- Viewpoint
The way a culture is seen varies greatly by the view from which it is observed. Those who have been part of a particular society see their culture in a completely different way from an outside observer.
- “Understanding” Japan
Japan, like anywhere else, has a complex set of etiquette rules, traditions, foods, etc.
- Reflecting back on your own culture
Looking at the culture of Japan has brought to light a number of things about the United States: particularly, it has helped us look at where are traditions come from and how our etiquette rules came to be. (And why we’re so rude)
- Looking at culture is inherently comparative
Culture is comparative in that it is different everywhere and those differences can always be examined?
- Partiality of accounts of culture
No account of a culture can cover everything about that culture. Culture isn’t something that can be cataloged – it is far too complex [see above] for any one account to tell everything.
- Competing elements in Japanese culture
A number of competing elements exist in Japanese culture; specifically, the modern, clean, industrial high-tech Japan clashes greatly with the traditional, festive Japan with its tea ceremonies and kimonos.
- What choices do people have?
Future generations can continue cultures or completely change them. People can choose to continue using the same rules of etiquette, eat the same basic foods, wear the same clothing and celebrate the same traditions, or they can disregard, morph, and meld their existing culture with others and create new traditions.
- Notion that “culture” has no explanatory power
Culture doesn’t explain things – it is too broad of a subject to be used as a “cause” to any effect, rather the elements that make up a culture may have individual effects and can be used to explain why something is the way it is.
- What about politics?
Though culture can’t directly be used to explain things, it does have an effect on politics, as seen in Tokugawa-era Japan and the effect of the tea ceremony.
- What about history?
History is culture, in that the way history is remembered has affected cultural elements and traditions.
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