Culture is a system of learned behavior that distinguishes human beings from subhuman animals. It is the most advanced means humans have devised to promote the security and continuity of life. It includes all aspects of human experience: language, art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, values systems, traditions, and beliefs. This definition of culture makes it different from a religion, which is a set of practices and beliefs that is taught and endorsed by religious leaders.
Unlike instinct, which deals with innate responses, culture is designed to deal with unforeseen circumstances. It teaches us what to do in a new situation that we have not experienced before, and it helps us understand the value of things or occurrences that lie outside our immediate experience. It is the Jungian interpretation of culture that fills in the gap between instinct and fact, making it a kind of abstract. Archeological evidence of the wide dispersion of amber from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, copper objects in aboriginal North America and macaw feathers in the Southwest are examples of cultural diffusion.
In the same way that linguistics is the study of language, cultural history is the study of cultural ideas and beliefs. Culture historians seek to understand what is at the heart of the world’s cultures, from magical beliefs to gender roles and racial hierarchies. They investigate a past time and place, seeking to discover the notions that underlie concrete behaviour, just as intellectual historians do for the writings of their elites.
As we gain more and more knowledge about the diversity of the world’s people, we are finding that their cultures vary widely. Some cultures emphasize independence, while others favor closeness and interdependence. Some cultures emphasize the importance of family, while others place an emphasis on hard work and community spirit. Research suggests that many differences among people are rooted in culture, rather than genetics or environment.
Understanding culture is important for building a sense of community with people who are very different from ourselves. It is also a key component of effective cross-cultural management and communication. However, we don’t have to be experts in someone else’s culture in order to build relationships with them or to learn from their experiences. We just need to be aware of their cultural context, and a willingness to respect and appreciate their traditions.