Exploring Total Culture: How It Shapes Our Perspectives and Actions
Our culture shapes the way we think, behave, and communicate with others. It encompasses our beliefs, values, customs, and traditions, and it has a profound impact on our cognitive processes and decision-making. Total culture refers to the entire range of cultural artifacts, practices, and expressions that a society produces. In this article, we will explore the concept of total culture and how it shapes our perspectives and actions.
Defining Total Culture
Total culture refers to the sum total of a society’s cultural productions, including, but not limited to, its arts, language, religion, philosophy, science, technology, politics, and economics. It encompasses both material and non-material culture, and it represents the collective creative output of a society. Total culture is dynamic, constantly evolving and adapting to changing circumstances, and it reflects the historical, social, and economic contexts in which it is produced.
How Total Culture Shapes Our Perspectives
Our culture shapes the way we perceive the world around us. It provides the lens through which we view reality, and it influences our attitudes, beliefs, and values. Our cultural background shapes our perceptions of beauty, justice, and morality, and it influences our decision-making processes. For example, a person growing up in a collectivist culture may prioritize the needs of the group over their own, while a person growing up in an individualistic culture may prioritize their own interests over the needs of the group.
The Influence of Total Culture on Our Actions
Our cultural background also shapes the way we behave and communicate with others. It influences our social norms, customs, and traditions, and it determines the acceptable forms of behavior in different contexts. For example, a person growing up in a culture that values direct communication may appear blunt or rude to someone from a culture that values indirect communication. Moreover, our cultural background affects our nonverbal communication, such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice.
Examples of Total Culture in Action
Total culture can be observed in many aspects of our daily lives. Take, for example, the world of business. In a capitalist culture, the goal of a business is to maximize profits, while in a socialist culture, the goal of a business is to provide goods and services to meet the needs of society. Similarly, in a culture that values individual achievement, such as the United States, success is often measured by personal accomplishments, while in a culture that values group harmony, such as Japan, success is often measured by the collective achievements of the group.
Conclusion
Total culture is a complex and multifaceted concept that has a profound impact on our perspectives and actions. It shapes the way we perceive the world, behave towards others, and communicate with others, and it reflects the creative output of a society. To truly understand a culture, we must explore its total culture, including its arts, language, religion, philosophy, science, technology, politics, and economics. By doing so, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the diversity of human experience and the ways in which culture shapes our lives.
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