Lesson 1: What is Culture?
The Elements of Culture
Material Culture
When you analyze a country’s material culture you need to look at two things: (1) its level of technological ability and (2) its economics, or how people use their abilities and the benefits achieved.
Some countries are more technologically advanced than others which means that there are just certain things that people from countries with a high-level of technology ability may take for granted that won’t be found in low-level technological countries. To the latter, concepts such as preventive maintenance are totally foreign. Take the following example.
Sue, an English teacher in a Third World Country, was happy to find a place with four copiers. To make it even better, the store opened at 8:00 in the morning instead of 9:00 as was customary. “Just like home, “ she thought. She could now avoid long lines and be able to make emergency copies before class.
One morning, upon finding that she was two copies short of that day’s handout, she ran to the store to make more. The store was open, but to her dismay all of the copier machines were broken. “How could this be?” she screamed. “Four copiers and they are all broken! What’s wrong with you people?” she added as she stormed out of the store.
Sue was upset because the type of preventive maintenance that existed in her country did not exist here. But did she ever think of the level of mechanical skills that existed in the country? It was easy to buy copiers, but not as easy to teach the skills needed to maintain them. Even if people were trained, how many copier repairmen were there? This was not the only store with copiers. If there were only a few repairmen, they could have been spread pretty thin. Preventive maintenance and having a basic understanding of how things work go hand in hand with a high-level of technological knowledge.
The economics of a country can influence the type of goods you find. Certain goods may not be available because of the inability to use them (i.e. there is no electricity) or the inability to afford them.
Social Institutions
The way people interact with each other varies from country to country. Education, social organization, and political structures all play and enormous role in these interactions.
Social organizations influence the roles of individuals, their status, and the importance and structure of family. Women have varying roles and rights in different countries. In some countries it is perfectly normal for a man to have his wife sleep on the floor if a male guest stays over and there is no bed for him. In others, both men would be laughed at and promptly thrown out of the house for even having such thoughts.
Both the quality and level of formal education varies from country to country. So do the students. Recent history has shown us that in some countries, females are denied an education and if they do get one, it may be inferior to that of a male. Some countries require a basic level of education, while in others it is perfectly acceptable for kids to drop out or even be taken out of school by their parents to work instead. And of course, the manner is which behavior is taught from generation to generation varies.
Humanity and the Universe
Religion falls under this category as well as belief systems, or values, and superstitions.
In some countries, religious beliefs and superstitions are so strong that they rule the actions of individuals. A person’s religion can determine the food he can and can’t eat(i.e. no pork, no beef, only kosher foods) and the way he dresses (women must cover their heads, men must wear beards). These instances are more obvious in some religions than others (Islam, Orthodox Jews). However, you may unknowingly offend followers of your own faith when you are in a foreign country as our fictitious church goer, John, does in the following scenario.
John is Catholic. Every Sunday, in the large American city in which he lives, he goes to Mass. He never really “dresses up.” In his church, dress doesn’t really matter.
While on vacation in another country, John is invited by friends to attend Mass. He eagerly accepts and agrees to meet his friends at the church. Since he is vacationing on an island, it is hot, and he has never seen anyone really “dress up” he decides to wear his good pair of shorts and a shirt. John, however, never makes it inside the church. Upon seeing him in his shorts, his friends turn him away. It would not be proper for him to attend Mass dressed in such a manner.
Superstitions can play an equally important role in some countries as can a peoples values. How do they view time? How adaptable are they to change? It is essential that anyone going to a foreign land understands how these things influence the behavior of others and should influence his behavior as well.
Aesthetics
This includes the arts, folklore, music, drama, and the dances common to a culture. It is of value to study these expressions because through them, one can often gain valuable insights. For example, through its art, one can begin to see how a culture defines beauty. Through theater, one can learn about its perception of life and the issues that are considered to be important. And folklore can often explain present day traditions.
Language
Understanding the language of a foreign culture is so important that I devoted an entire module to communications. Language is the primary form of communications, and without knowing how to use it to express yourself, you’ll find nothing but frustrations and unhappiness.
Knowing the language goes far beyond knowing the “dictionary” translation of a word. You must know its connotations and any other meanings that may have been attached to it over the years as well. Look at this sentence. What does it mean to you?
Tom is gay.
I can think of two meanings: (1) Tom is happy or (2) Tom is a homosexual. Due to the possible confusion, the word “gay” is seldom used to mean happy by Americans.
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