Culture-Importance and functions PDF

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the lecture was held by prof. Ahire of Bnn college bhiwandi...

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INTRODUCTION Culture is one of the most important concepts in social sciences. The study of human society immediately and necessarily leads us to the study of its culture. The study of society or any aspect of it becomes incomplete without a proper understanding of the culture of that society culture and society go together. They are inseparable. It is important to distinguish between the related concepts of culture and society. Sometimes the concepts are used synonymously to mean all learned habits the total ways of life of a social group, or a group’s social heritage. In sociological usage, culture specifically refers to social structure and ideas that give meaning to human social structure, while society refers to social structure some what apart from underlying values and ideas. The study of the “society” or social structure, of a group, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with the patterns of organization and interaction built upon that cultural background. Although culture and society are closely related concepts that can never be wholly separated.

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE Culture is a unique possession of man. Every man is born into a society is the same as saying that “every man is born into a culture. Every man can be regarded as a representative of this culture. Culture is the unique quality of man which separates him from the lower animals. As used by sociologist to and cultural

anthropologists, culture has a different meaning. To a sociologist, a culture is a system of ideas, values, beliefs, knowledge, norm, customs and technology shared by almost everyone in a particular society. Culture can be said to include all the human phenomena in a society. Culture includes all learned behaviour. Culture is a very board term that includes in its self all our walks of life, our modes of behaviour, our philosophers and ethics, our morals and manners, our customs and tradition, our religious, political, economic and other types of activities.

MEANING AND DEFINITIONS OF CULTURE All the human societies have complex ways of life that differ greatly from one to another. These ways have come to be known as culture in 1871. Edward Tylor gave us the first definition of this concept. Culture as defined by Edward refer “is that complex whole which includes knowledge belief, art, law, morals custom and other capabilities and habit acquired by man as a member of society”. Robert Bierstadt Simplified Tylor’s definition by stating “culture is the complex whole that consists of all the ways we think and do and everything we have as member of society. “ In the word of MacIver and Page, culture is “the realm of styles of values of emotional attachments of intellectual adventures. B. Malinowski has defined culture as the cumulative creation of man”. He

also regarded culture as a handiwork of man and the medium, through which he achieves his ends. Culture is often referred as a “Sum total of behaviour traits which a person, comes to acquire through instruction and learning. It shapes an individuals reaction to external environment it provides the individual a structure of socially approved ideas and beliefs, norms and values. FUNCTIONS OF CULTURE Man is not only a social animal but also a cultural being Man’s social life has been made possible because of culture. Culture is something that has elevated him from the level of animal to other superior animal. Man can not survive without culture. It represents the entire achievements of mankind. Culture has been fulfilling a number of functions among which the following may be noted.

Culture defines situation Culture defines social situation for us. It not only defines but also conditions and determines what we eat, and drink what we wear, where to laugh, weep sleep to make friends with, what work we do, what to worship etc.

Culture is the treasury of knowledge Culture provides knowledge which is important for the physical, social and intellectual existence of man. Birds and

animals behave instinctively with the help of instincts they try to adapt themselves with the environment. But man has greater intelligence and learning capacity with the help of these he has been able to adapt himself with the environment or modify it to suithis convenience. Culture has made such an adaptation and modification possible and easier by providing man the necessary skills and knowledge. Culture preserves knowledge and helps its transmission from generation to generation through its element that is language. Language helps not only the transmission of knowledge but also its preservation, accumulation and diffusion. On the contrary, animals do not have this advantage, because, culture does not exist at sub-human level.

Culture provides behaviour patterns Culture directs and confines the behaviour of an individual. Culture assigns goals and provides means for achieving them. It rewards his noble walk and punishes the immoral ones. It assigns him status and roles. We see, dream, aspire, work, strive, enjoy, according to the cultural expectation. Culture not only controls but also liberates human, energy and activities. Man, indeed, follows his culture in every path of his life.

Culture defines attitudes, values and goals Attitudes refer to the tendency to feel and act in certain ways, values are the measure of goodness or desirability. Goals

refer to the attainment which our values define as worthy. It is the culture which conditions our attitudes towards various issues such as religion, morality, science, family planning, prostitution, and so on. Our values concerning private property, fundamental rights representative governments etc. are influenced by our culture. Our goals of winning the target, understanding others, attaining salvation being respectful and obedient to elders and teachers being patriotic, loyal etc. are set forth by our culture. We are being socialized on these models.

Culture models personality Culture exercises a great influence on the development of personality. No child can develop human qualities in the absence of a cultural environment. Culture prepares man for group life and provides him the design of living. It is culture that provides opportunities for the development of personality and sets limits on its growth. As Ruth Benedict has pointed out, every culture will produce its, special type or types of personality. This fact has been stressed by her in her “Patterns of Culture” an analysis of the culture of three primitive societies. Yet another anthropologist by name Margaret Mead has stated that a culture shapes the character and behaviours of individual living in it…. This fact she has established in her “Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies- A study of New Guinea tribal life.

Culture decides our career What career, we are likely to pursue is largely decided by our culture. Whether we should become a politician, a social worker a doctor, an engineer, a solider, a farmer, a professor, an industrialist, a religious leader and so on is decided by our culture. Culture sets limitations on our choice to select different careers. Individuals may develop, modify or oppose the trends of their culture but they always live within its framework. Only a few can find outlet in the culture. We can conclude that the individual is exposed to and molded by the culture of the group into which he is born. But the culture provides not only for “universals” but also for “alternatives”. There is not only conformity in cultural learning but also variations. Every individual is unique in any culture. The uniqueness may be based on individual differences in ability, aptitude and learning. The impact of culture on the individual is not always identical in every case. Every individual is soon on later exposed to influences which are not completely determined by culture. Traveling, books, radio, cinema, television, newspaper, exposes an individual to many influences outside the culture. Various biological and social factors bring about uniqueness of the individuals in any culture....