Classification Of Cultures Essays - 1615 Words

Culture is a hot topic. Scholars (Fukoyama, Huntington, to mention but two) disagree about whether this is the end of history or the beginning of a particularly nasty chapter of it. What makes cultures tick and why some of them tick discernibly better than others – is the main bone of contention. We can view cultures through the prism of their attitude towards their constituents : the individuals they are comprised of. More so, we can classify them in accordance with their approach towards humanness, the experience of being human. Some cultures are evidently anthropocentric – others are anthropo-transcendental. These two lingual coins need elaboration to be fully comprehended. A culture which cherishes the human potential†¦show more content†¦A culture can be described by using a few axes : Distinguishing versus Consuming cultures Some cultures give weight and presence (though not necessarily equal) to each of their constituent elements (the individual and social structures). Each such element is idiosyncratic and unique. Such cultures would accentuate attention to details, private enterprise, initiative, innovation, entrepreneurship, inventiveness, youth, status symbols, consumption, money, creativity, art, science and technology. These are the things that distinguish one individual from another. Other cultures engulf their constituents, assimilate them to the point of consumption. They are deemed, a priori, to be redundant, their worth a function of their actual contribution to the whole. Such cultures emphasize generalizations, stereotypes, conformity, consensus, belonging, social structures, procedures, forms, undertakings involving the labour or other input of human masses. Future versus Past Oriented Cultures Some cultures look to the past – real or imaginary – for inspiration, motivation, sustenance, hope, guidance and direction. These cultures tend to direct their efforts and resources and invest them in what IS. They are, therefore, bound to be materialistic, figurative, substantive, earthly. They are likely to prefer oldShow MoreRelatedThe Classification Of Wine And Culture1349 Words   |  6 Pagesstandards of inequality. Wine and culture are interdependent in the personal and professional cultural realm of France. Just like a â€Å"flawless bottle of vintage wine, France displays perfection in the land and its people† (Gannon Pillai, 2013, p. 229). As a result, wine has â€Å"shaped the country’s disposition weaving a common thread through all the varying walks of French life† (Gannon Pillai, 2013, p. 227). The classification of wine has contributed to the classification of society. France preciselyRead MoreTheories For The Classification Of Culture Essay1179 Words   |  5 PagesTheories For The Classification Of Culture A culture is a sum of attitude, values, beliefs, and customs that distinguishes a person or group of people from another. Culture is inherited from one generation to another through languages, rituals, religion, art and many other such things. In the business world, the comparing, dealing or interacting of different people from different culture, community or background is called cross culture management. It is an important function for international firmRead MoreThe Laboratory Without Contamination Is Essential For The Study And Classifications Of The Unknown Bacterial Culture1203 Words   |  5 Pagesinterest in the laboratory without contamination is essential for the study and classifications of many life forms. Different techniques were used to differentiate the organisms. This process of transferring a microbe from one medium to the next is called inoculating. The organism chosen in class will be used to construct further testing. The purpose of this lab experiment was to find the identity of the unknown bacterial culture and use all the methods and the assessments that were introduced in the classRead MoreIntelegenc639 Words   |  3 Pagestheir culture, religion, and mind/body have significant effects on behavior . (Josh Part) Culture can be described as a representation of ones background and heritage, the views of music, art, and food are all taken into account when viewing an individual’s culture. Culture is actually a psychological word that describes a range of learned behaviors according individuals ethnic and social beliefs. There are variances in the understanding of abnormal behavior among different cultures. WhichRead MoreDiscuss Reliability and Validity of Diagnosis1012 Words   |  5 Pagesintricate. For one to obtain a reliable and valid diagnosis, one has to be sure that the classification systems themselves are valid and reliable. Because the concept of abnormality is so complex it is particularly difficult to define and this affects diagnosis. Also, there are a number of cultural and ethical considerations one must consider when making a diagnosis, some of these include culture-bound syndromes, culture blindness and racial/ethnic bias. Though many errors with diagnosis have been occ urredRead MoreDo Humans Perceive And Categorize The World?1715 Words   |  7 Pagesalso show that perception tends to be universal, while classification tends to be largely influenced by culture. There is also evidence that suggests certain aspects of perception may only be explained by culture, while certain aspects of classification are universal. This will all be addressed below. I will argue that humans are able to perceive things rather similarly. There were many examples used in class to examine perception across cultures. One of which was done by E. H. R. Rivers in 1898. HeRead MoreLabeling, As Humans, We Can Not Make Sense Of The Past Nor Present Without Labeling Essay919 Words   |  4 Pagesclass, and gender. These three formalities of classification link to each other in that they are the major ways we sort out relationships between other humans in our minds. In other words, we utilize these three systems in order to, hopefully, understand each other. However, none of these classifications have anything to do with who an individual actually is in most cases. Unless, the individual assumes the ideas associated with each particular classification. Such as men are stronger than women or whiteRead MoreThe Problems Of Intercultural Communication1133 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent cultures generate a lot of problems, which are caused by a mismatch of norms, values, features world partners, etc. The main objective of this essay is contextualizing and allocation of the factors determining the affiliation to one of the crop to improve cooperation in the cross-cultural environment. To achieve the goal of the essay it to solve the following specific objectives: first, definition of the differing cultural patterns and, second, classification of Russian culture, taking intoRead MoreDynamic Nominalism848 Words   |  4 PagesThe meaning of dynamic no minalism is that in naming classifications of human types, people come to fit the label given. A new possibility is offered and this can influence individuals to adopt characteristics and thus fit in to the new classification. This differs from inert nominalism and realism as this label may not always be the same one used for the individual, as social change gives birth to new opportunities, individuals may move categories. This essay is going to explore Hacking’s term dynamicRead MoreThe Archaeological Theory Of Practice1451 Words   |  6 PagesIn the Archaeological Theory in Practice textbook, the positive legacies of Culture History are detailed by V. Gordon Childe’s archaeological theory processes. It emphasized that cultural History subdivided historical societies into distinct ethnic and cultural groups by their physical culture, rejecting a comparative method and independent cultural development, with documentation reflecting the development of specific groups have distinctive set of traits unique to each cultural group. It explained