Cultural Revolution and Absolution
What defines who we are? Is it our experiences? Is the environment that we are in? Peer pressure? Societal conditioning? Our own principles?
How about culture? Does that partly also shape who we are?
In my opinion, culture provides us with a sense of identity and belonging. Different pockets of societies can be shaped and governed by a set of cultural rules. These are not so much rules that guide us in the way of life. Rather, they are rules that one should perform as expected for that culture. In most cases, they are related to festivities, rituals and celebrations of some sort.
Different societies have distinct cultural identities. The Indians carry a heavy item on their shoulders and walk for a few hours to reach their destination. They bodies are pierced with a paraphernalia of sharp instruments in a show of great self control. In chinese culture, a whole science is devoted to the teachings of feng shui. Joss sticks are used frequently in their prayers.
Most of the time, culture is handed down via word of mouth - from one generation to another. It is fervently hoped that the next generation is able to receive them and to hand it down to the following generation, even if they do not practice them. This would ensure that at least some form of identity can be maintained and passed on.
It has become more and more common that culture has been largely disregarded. For whatever reason, the values and knowledge dwindles as one generation moves on to another. And as this happen, the society loses more and more of its identity.
So, my question is this: Do you see culture as important in a society? Do you think we need to preserve some form of culture so that the identity of the society can be maintained?
3 other thoughts:
Im totally furious. I cant believe this is how you summarize US.
Culture comes in as part of us. It is as important as the history. Im obsessed about world's culture and history in my entire life especially our Chinese culture.
I can not accept anyone has summarized our 5000 culture into 'feng shui' and 'joss sticks'. Feng Shui is part of science; Joss sticks are one of the games. These are nothing to be mentioned at all.
I will make sure I read you pages and pages of our great art, history, and cultural books in our little cottage even it is to bored you to dead. I expect you drop your fictions and come to read real history and cultures in the coming decade.
**am pissed off**
**am drunk**
I cant answer any of your Qs here. It is all wrong to me. Asking wrong Qs into wrong directions!! All wrong. Salah.
None of us in this world can run away being shaped by culture. Even Tarzan was being brought up to be an ape and learn the culture in forrest.
The only reason that we NEED to preserve culture is to trace back our trail. It is not important to some, but very important to many. Eg, except monetary reason - some would die for digging out a bone of dinosaurs; the same thing to be dug and discovered by someone else wouldnt be treasured at all. There isnt any actual need. It doesnt contribute much to our future history, but it is part of us.
Culture is not very important for a society, it may not need to be preserved cos it wont actually do any good. It is already part of us, we were brought up in the culture itself, everything we do, we react,... it is all part of the culture.
I do not think we need to preserve some form of culture so that the identity can be maintained. It is all old, useless, not applicable to modern world. This has nothing to do with our identity to be maintained or not since we carry our culture with us while we live this life. I do not agree we should preserve them for any other reason than the reason of treasuring the art.
Sorry U r out of luck, your only reader is someone who would die to get ride of her marriage with a spite of this barbaric system, so, you get positive out of the negative comments.
:P
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