Transcript all the artifacts (elements) of a people, both material

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER
1.
A PAPER RELATING THE TERMS WE DISCUSS TO THE MOVIE NELL
(100pt paper).
2.
BRING OLD APPROPRIATE MAGAZINES THAT CAN BE TORE APART
(explain our culture).
3.
WRITE DOWN AND REVIEW EVERYONE’S VALUES (continuum on
board).
4.
TYPE ONE PAGE ARTICLE REFLECTION.
5.
ENGAGE IN ETHNOMETHODOLOGY AT HOME/SCHOOL (write review).
6.
READ AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE CULTURE
PACKET.
7.
ANALYSIS OF MUSIC.
8.
CONTINUUM OF TRAITS.
SOCIETY IS THE
ORGANIZED
INTERACTION OF
PEOPLE
THE VALUES, BELIEFS, BEHAVIOR,
MATERIAL OBJECTS THAT
CONSTITUTE A PEOPLE’S WAY OF
LIFE (SHARED WAY OF LIFE)
CULTURE IS MADE UP OF
NONMATERIAL AND MATERIAL
CULTURAL TRAITS
NOTHING IS “INHERENTLY” NATURAL
• MOST ANIMALS ARE
DRIVEN BY INSTINCTS
– WHO WOULD SURVIVE
IN WOODS: 6 Y/O CHILD
OR 1 Y/O DOG
• ALL DOGS BEHAVE
THE SAME
• HUMANS RELY ON
CULTURE TO
ENSURE SURVIVAL
– A RED AND/OR
GREEN LIGHT
• NO SINGLE HUMAN
ACTS THE SAME
DIFFERENCES AMONG AMERICANS AND
CHINESE CULTURES
• WEAR BLACK TO
FUNERALS
• #13 IS BAD LUCK
• OPENLY KISS IN
PUBLIC
• DRIVE ON RIGHT SIDE
OF ROAD
• ALL CHILDREN ARE
IMPORTANT
• WEAR WHITE TO
FUNERALS
• #4 IS BAD LUCK
• DO NOT KISS IN PUBLIC
• DRIVE ON LEFT SIDE
OF ROAD
• ONLY BOYS ARE
IMPORTANT
DO NOT CONFUSE
CULTURE WITH
SOCIETY.
SOCIETY REFERS TO
PEOPLE INTERACTING
WITHIN A LIMITED
TERRITORY GUIDED
BY THEIR CULTURE.
NONMATERIAL CULTURE PRESENTS ITSELF
AS A VALUE IN THIS CARTOON.
IT IS GOOD TO CARE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT.
• ARTIFACTS
• TECHNOLOGY
– THE TANGIBLE HUMAN
CREATIONS
– MATERIAL CULTURE OF
OTHER CULTURES IS JUST AS
STRANGE AS THE
NONMATERIAL
– KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY
APPLIES TO THE TASK OF
LIVING IN THE PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT
– WE CAN RESHAPE OUR
ENVIRONMENT EASIER
• WHAT DOES THE
AUTOMOBILE TELL US
ABOUT US VALUES?
• WE VALUE INDIVIDUALITY
& INDEPENDENCE
• TECHNOLOGY IS BOTH
GOOD & BAD (CLONING)
– LIVE PAST 75 YEARS OLD
& HAVE MIRACLE CURES
– WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION
•Intimate sphere - very few things are
tolerated here
THE DISTANCE PEOPLE
WANT BETWEEN
EACHOTHER
•Personal sphere - this where most of
the everyday actions take place
•Social sphere - e.g. cafeterias
•Global sphere - the culture you live in,
rules, regulations, habits etc.
• EVERYONE STAND UP & FIND
SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW
• DO YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE
WHEN PEOPLE ARE TOO CLOSE
TO YOU WHEN TALKING?
• HAVE YOU EVER OBSERVED HOW
YOU STAND WHEN YOU’RE
NERVOUS?
• WHAT DO YOU NOTICE WHEN
YOUR ON AN ELEVATOR?
•PRIMATES HAVE THE LARGEST BRAINS (RELATIVE TO BODY SIZE) OF ALL
LIVING CREATURES
•12 MILLION YEARS AGO PRIMATES DEVELOPED ALONG TWO DIFFERENT
LINES (HUMANS AND APES)
CARL SAGAN
EVOLUTION OF
THE WORLD IN
A YEAR
WHEN DID WE USE CULTURE TO
SURVIVE
• 3 MILLION YEARS AGO OUR ANCESTORS
GRASPED THE FUNDAMENTALS OF
CULTURE (STONE AGE)
– USE FIRE, TOOLS, WEAPONS, BUILD
SHELTERS, & USE CLOTHS
• CIVILIZATION BASED ON PERMANENT
SHELTERS & SPECIALIZED
OCCUPATIONS STARTED IN THE MIDDLE
EAST 12,000 YEARS AGO
• GRADUALLY, CULTURE PUSHED ASIDE
INSTINCT SO THAT HUMANS COULD
FASHION THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
FOR THEMSLEVES
– HUMAN BRAIN GREW LARGER
CULTURE SHOCK
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF
CULTURE
NORMALLY, WE TAKE CULTURE FOR GRANTED UNTIL
THERE COMES A DAY WHEN WE EXPERIENCE...
• DISORIENTATION DUE TO THE
INABILITY TO MAKE SENSE OR
“READ” MEANING IN TO ONE’S
SURROUNDINGS
– WE BELIEVE OUR WAY OF LIFE IS
“NATURAL” BUT IT’S NOT
• FOREIGN & REGIONAL TRAVELS
– TRAVELER EXPERIENCES CULTURE
SHOCK BECAUSE THINGS ARE
UNFAMILIAR
– TRAVELER INFLICTS CULTURE SHOCK
ON OTHERS BY OFFENDING THEM
CULTURE SURE HAS A
WAY OF CHANGING
WHAT IS MEANT BY
“GOING TO THE
BEACH!”
MOST CULTURES SHARE COMMON
COMPONENTS. WE WILL NOW EXAMINE EACH
IN TURN.
ANYTHING THAT CARRIES A PARTICULAR MEANING
RECOGNIZED BY PEOPLE WHO SHARE CULTURE
• REALITY FOR HUMANS IS FOUND IN THE
MEANING THINGS CARRY WITH THEM
– THE BASIS OF CULTURE
• PEOPLE MUST BE MINDFUL THAT MEANINGS
VARY FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE
• MEANINGS CAN EVEN VARY GREATLY
WITHIN THE SAME GROUPS OF PEOPLE
– FUR COATS, CONFEDERATE FLAGS, ETC.
SYMBOLS ALLOW US TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF OUR LIVES
• DON’T USE SYMBOLS IN AN
UNCONVENTIONAL WAY
– BURNING A FLAG
• WATCH OUT FOR CULTURE SHOCK
– I LOVE MY DOG BUT SOMEONE IN CHINA
WANTS TO EAT MY DOG
– ALTHOUGH WE ARE STARVING IN INDIA,
DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT HAVING A
CHEESEBURGER
• MISUNDERSTANDING SYMBOLIC
GESTURES
– DON’T EAT WITH YOUR LEFT HAND IN
MUSLIM SOCIETIES BECAUSE THEY USE IT
FOR BATHROOM HYGIENE
– “A-OK” MEANS YOU’RE A ZERO IN FRANCE
– A “THUMBS UP” MEANS “UP YOURS” IN
AUSTRALIA AND IN IRAQ
– PRESIDENT OF PANAMA TRIED TO HUG
PRESIDENT CARTER & CARTER JUMPED
BACK (= TO REFUSING A HANDSHAKE)
A SYSTEM OF SYMBOLS THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE
TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER
• CULTURAL TRANSMISSION
– PASSING ON CULTURE
• SAPIR-WHORF HYPOTHESIS
– WE KNOW THE WORLD ONLY IN TERMS
OF OUR LANGUAGE
• LANGUAGE DETERMINES WHAT PEOPLE
THINK AND PERCEIVE B/C LANGUAGE
FORCES PEOPLE TO PERECEIVE THE
WORLD IN CERTAIN TERMS
– THE ONLY WAY I COULD FEEL MORE
GAY IS IF I HAD A FAG!!!!
– THE WORDS SUNSET AND/OR SUNDOWN
HAS CONDITIONED THE HUMAN BRAIN
• NON-VERBAL LANGUAGE
– BEWARE OF USING GESTURES
•15% OF AMERICANS ARE ILLITERATE
•WESTERN SOCIETIES WRITE LEFT TO RIGHT AND IN
NORTHERN AFRICA AND WESTERN ASIA THEY WRITE RIGHT
TO LEFT
• GM “NOVA” = “NO GO”
• COOR’S PHRASE “TURN IT LOOSE” = “SUFFER
FROM DIARRHEA”
• AIRLINES “FLY IN LEATHER” = “FLY NAKED”
• RESTRAUNT ADVERTISEMENT “IT TAKES A
TOUGH MAN TO MAKE A TENDER CHICKEN” =
“IT TAKES A SEXUALLY EXCITED MAN TO
MAKE A CHICKEN AFFECTIONATE”
• “Ich bin ein Berliner” = “I’m a Jelly Donut”
•
ABSTRACT STANDARDS IN A SOCIETY OR GROUP THAT DEFINE IDEAL
PRINCIPLES
– CULTURALLY DEFINED STANDARDS THAT SERVE AS BROAD GUIDELINES FOR
SOCIAL LIVING
– IT’S WHAT OUGHT TO BE, STANDARDS OF GOODNESS
• EX: LIBERTY/FREEDOM, FAMILY, CAREER
•
SHARED IDEAS HELD COLLECTIVELY BY PEOPLE WITHIN A GIVEN CULTURE
– PARTICULAR MATTERS THAT INDIVIDUALS CONSIDER TO BE TRUE OR FALSE
• EX: BELIEF IN ONE GOD, NO GOD, MANY GODS
•
EXAMPLES:
– If you value religion, you should believe in God.
– Because most U.S. adults share the value of providing equal opportunities for all, they believe
a qualified woman could serve as president of the United States (Do We)??
• Is it odd that some groups value their religion to such a degree that they believe
they must kill others to defend it?
•
•
THEY CREATE OUR PERSONALITIES
WE LEARN HOW TO THINK AND ACT ACCORDING TO APPROVED
PRINCIPLES, TO PURSUE WORTHY GOALS, AND TO BELIEVE IN CULTURAL
TRUTH (FAMILIES, FRIENDS, SCHOOLS AND RELIGION DO THIS)
Life Objectives of First-Year College Students, 1969-2004:
Today's students are less interested in developing a philosophy of life
and more interested in making money.
A FEW CORE AMERICAN VALUES AND
INCONSISTENCIES THAT GO WITH THEM
• EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
– POS: EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO GET AHEAD
– NEG: DIFFERENT TALENTS MEAN SOME WILL BE SUCCESSFUL
• ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESS
– POS: U.S. ENCOURAGES COMPETITION AND REFLECTS WORTHINESS
– NEG: IF YOU DON’T MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF, WHY ARE YOU
HERE
• RACISM AND GROUP SUPERIORITY
– POS: COLOR, RACE AND SEX SHOULD NOT PLAY A ROLE
– NEG: DESPITE MANY WORDS TO THE CONTRARY, IN AMERICA, WE
VALUE WHITES, MALES AND THE UPPER CLASS (SOME MORE = THEN
OTHERS)
• INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM
– POS: WE VALUE INDIVIDUALITY
– NEG: DON’T STRAY TOO FAR FROM THE NORM, B/C WE SUPPORT
COMFORMITY
• MATERIAL COMFORT
– PRO: WE SAY “MONEY WON’T BUY HAPPINESS.”
– NEG: OUR GOAL IS TO ACQUIRE WEALTH
• ACTIVITY AND WORK
– POS: DOERS AND THOSE THAT BELIEVE IN ACTION ARE ADMIRED
(ACTION VS. REFLECTION)
– NEG: WE VALUE THOSE THAT TRY TO CONTROL THEIR FATE RATHER
THAN ACCEPT ONE’S FATE
• PRACTICALITY AND EFFICIENCY
– POS: WE VALUE THE PRACTICAL OVER THE THEORETICAL
– NEG: WE APPRECIATE DOING THINGS NOT DREAMING ABOUT THINGS
• PROGRESS
– POS:WE ALWAYS BELIEVE THE PRESENT IS BETTER THAN THE PAST
– NEG: THE LATEST AND GREATEST IS THE BEST (WE TEND TO REPEAT
THE SAME MISTAKES )
• SCIENCE
– POS: WE BELIEVE IN BEING RATIONAL AND USING SCIENCE TO SOLVE
PROBLEMS (MEN)
– NEG: WE DEVALUE EMOTIONS AND INTUITION (WOMEN)
• DEMOCRACY AND FREE ENTERPRISE
– POS: WE VALUE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, FREEDOMS, AND DEMOCRACY
• NEG: WE FORCE OUR DEMOCRATIC IDEALS ON OTHERS
– POS: WE VALUE OUR ECONOMY
• NEG: WE DESTROY/INFLUENCE OTHER ECONOMIES TO PRESERVE OURS
BRANCH
DISCHARGE
RATIO
USMC
60
1 OF 3,000
ARMY
206
1 OF 2,400
AIR FORCE
282
1 OF 1,400
NAVY
302
1 OF 1,400
• DO WE VALUE OUR
INDIVIDUALITY OR IS THERE
A FOCUS ON CONFORMITY?
– DO WE HAVE TO
COMPROMISE IN ORDER TO
BELONG/BE ACCEPTED TO A
GROUP?
– WHY DO YOU OBEY YOUR
PARENTS AND/OR LISTEN TO
WHAT YOUR FRIENDS TELL
YOU , USUALLY?
• CAN INCONSISTENT VALUES
IN HUMANS BE POSITIVE?
– DEMONSTRATES THAT OUR
CULTURE IS DIVERSE
– ENCOURAGES CHANGE IN
TRADITIONAL WAYS
– CULTURE OF VICTIMIZATION VS.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
•SPECIFIC CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS FOR HOW PEOPLE SHOULD BEHAVE IN A
GIVEN SITUATION OR RULES BY WHICH SOCIETY GUIDES THE BEHAVIOR OF ITS
MEMBERS
• TYPES
NORMLESSNESS
WOULD DESTROY
US!
– PROSCRIPTIVE (THINGS
NOT TO DO)
Taking off your hat to escape the
– PRESCRIPTIVE (THINGS
heat is different from taking off
TO DO)
your hat to satisfy an obligation.
• FURTHER REAKDOWN The former is a regularity and
the latter is a norm.
• WILLIAM SUMNER
– MORES (RIGHT AND
WRONG): MORALLY
SIGNIFICANT; TABOOS
– FOLKWAYS (RIGHT AND
RUDE): LESS SERIOUS
OFFENSES
LAWS ARE NORMS
WHICH CAN BE
ENFORCED BY
AGENTS OF THE
STATE.
WHY DO WE CARE
ABOUT A HICKIE?
QUIET PLEASE…I DON’T
WANT ANY KIND OF
SOCIAL CONTROL TO
REACH OUT AND GRAB
ME!
• SOCIAL CONTROL
– MEANS BY WHICH MEMBERS OF
SOCIETY ENCOURAGE
CONFORMITY TO NORMS
• REINFORCING EVERYDAY
BASIC RULES (NORMS)
GOVERN BEHAVIORS
– POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
SANCTIONS
• CONFORMING BRINGS PRAISE
• NONCONFORMITY BRINGS PAIN
– GUILT: JUDGING OURSELVES
– SHAME: PUBLIC DISAPPROVAL
– ONLY CULTURAL CREATURES
CAN EXPERIENCE THIS
AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM RECOGNIZING PAST AND PRESENT CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN U.S.
SOCIETY AND PROMOTING THE EQUALITY OF ALL CULTURAL TRADITIONS
•
THE EARLY ENGLISH MAJORITY ESTABLISHED ENGLISH AS THE
DOMINANT LANGUAGE AND SET UP SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS BASED ON
THE BRITISH ECONOMY, LEGAL SYSTEM, AND RELIGIONS
– NON-ENGLISH MINORITY HAD TO CONFORM OR DWINDLE AWAY
– EXPECTED TO ASPIRE & BE JUDGED BY ENGLISH WAYS
•
EUROCENTRISM: THE DOMINANCE OF EUROPEAN CULTURAL PATTERNS
(ENGLISH)
– PEOPLE OF NATIVE AMERICAN & AFRICAN DESCENT ARE NOT RECOGNIZED
FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENT
– NATIVE AMERICANS WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE IN THE “NEW WORLD”
– CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND OTHER EUROPEANS UNLEASHED
DOMINATION AND DEATH FROM WAR AND DISEASE, NOT A BETTER LIFE
STYLE
•
AFROCENTRISM: THE DOMINANCE OF AFRICAN CULTURAL PATTERNS
– THEY WERE ENSLAVED BY EUROPEANS FOR YEARS
– STRESS AFRICAN CULTURE TO BLACKS OVER WHITE CULTURE
•
•
CURRENT PROBLEMS WITH MULTICULTURAL VIEW:
DOES THIS ENCOURAGE DIVISION RATHER THAN UNITY BY URGING
INDIVIDUALS TO IDENTIFY WITH THEIR OWN CATEGORY RATHER THAN
WITH THE NATION AS A WHOLE (RACIAL SEGREGATION)?
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN CULTURAL DIVERSITY IS
GOOD FOR A SOCIETY, AS WELL AS TIMES WHEN
IT SEEMS TO WORK AGAINST “THE GRAIN”
• SUBCULTURES
– GROUPS WHOSE CULTURAL PATTERNS SET
THEM APART FROM WIDER SOCIETY
• ARE YOU A PART OF ONE CULTURE OR MANY
SUBCULTURES?
– RELIGIOUS GROUPS, ATHLETES, COWBOYS
– YUGOSLAVIA WAS THE SIZE OF WYOMING
• 25 MILLION PEOPLE, 3 RELIGIONS, 2 ALPHABETS, 4
LANG, 5 NATIONALITIES, 6 POLT REPUB,
INFLUENCED BY 7 COUNTRIES
• COUNTERCULTURES
– GROUPS WHOSE CULTURAL PATTERNS ARE AT
GREAT ODDS WITH WIDER SOCIETY
• RADICAL MILITIA GROUPS, THE KLAN, THE SKINS,
HIPPIES
CULTURE CHANGES IN ONE OF TWO WAYS:
• CULTURE INTEGRATION (cell phones)
– THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP AMONG VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF A
CULTURAL SYSTEM
• CHANGE IN ONE PART OF CULTURE (COMPUTERS) MAY LEAD TO CHANGES
IN OTHER PARTS OF CULTURE (LANGUAGE)
• WOMEN JOINING THE WORK FORCE HAS CHANGED FAMILY PATTERNS
(DIVORCE RATE, CRIME, LATER MARRIAGES)
• CULTURE LAG
– SOME CULTURAL ELEMENTS CHANGE MORE QUICKLY THAN
OTHERS, WHICH MAY DSRUPT A CULTURAL SYSTEM
• NONMATERIAL NORMALLY “LAGS” BEHIND, WHILE MATERIAL
(TECHNOLOGY) SPEEDS AHEAD AT ALARMING RATES
• HOW ARE WE TO APPLY THE TRADITIONAL NOTIONS OF
MOTHERHOOD AND FATHERHOOD IN A CULTURE WHERE ONE
WOMAN CAN GIVE BIRTH TO A CHILD USING ANOTHER WOMAN’S
EGG, WHICH HAS BEEN FERTILIZED IN A LABORATORY WITH THE
SPERM OF A TOTAL STRANGER?
•
THE PRACTICE OF JUDGING ANOTHER
•
CULTURE BY THE STANDARDS OF ONE’S OWN
CULTURE
–
•
•
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE JOBS? DO YOU GIVE
THE MONEY YOU EARN TO YOUR FAMILY?
WHY ARE CRAFTS AND OTHER ITEMS SO
•
CHEAP IN THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES?
–
•
•
•
•
BELIEVING THAT OUR CULTURE IS SUPERIOR TO
OTHER CULTURES
MANY OF THE PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY CHILDREN (56)
POOR FAMILIES RELY ON THEIR CHILDREN’S
INCOME TO SURVIVE
AMERICANS BELIEVE CHILDHOOD IS A TIME
OF INNOCENCE AND FREEDOM, WITH NO
STRESS
WHAT ONE CULTURE FINDS NORMAL,
ANOTHER CULTURE MAY FIND IT CRUEL AND
STRANGE
WHO REPRESENTS THE “FAR EAST” AND THE
MIDDLE KINGDOM (MAP)?
THE PRACTICE OF
JUDGING A CULTURE BY
ITS OWN STANDARDS
–
MUST UNDERSTAND
VALUES AND NORMS OF
THE OTHER CULTURE AND
ALSO DISREGARD OUR
OWN
VIRTUALLY ANY KIND
OF BEHAVIOR IS
PRACTICED
SOMEWHERE IN THE
WORLD, BUT DOES
THAT MEAN
EVERYTHING IS
EQUALLY RIGHT?
–
CONFUCIUS, A CHINESE
PHILOSPHER SAID, “ALL
PEOPLE ARE THE SAME;
IT’S ONLY THEIR HABITS
THAT ARE DIFFERENT!”
STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS
• DEPICTS CULTURE AS A COMPLEX STRATEGY FOR MEETING HUMAN NEEDS
• BELIEVES CULTURAL VALUES GIVE MEANING TO LIFE AND BIND PEOPLE
TOGETHER
TRAITS COMMON TO EVERY
KNOWN CULTURE
• THE FAMILY
– THE CONTROL OF SEXUAL
REPRODUCTION & CHILD REARING
• FUNERAL RITES
– COMFORT AND CONTINUITY FOR
THE LIVING
• HUMOR
– SAFETY VALVE FOR SOCIAL
TENSIONS
• DEVIANCE
– REMEMBER, EVEN IN A GROUP OF
SAINTS DEVIANCE WOULD EXIST
SOCIAL-CONFLICT ANALYSIS
• All cultural traits benefit some members of society at the
expense of others
– Why do certain values dominate a society in the first place
(wealth)
• Materialism: a society’s system of material production has a
powerful effect on the rest of a culture
– Our competitive values have evolved from a capitalistic economy
– Taught to think that the rich and powerful have more talent and
energy than others and are deserving (discourages reducing
economic disparity)
• Change to the status quo will be demanded (civil rights,
health care)
– Many will defend the status quo, but why?
– What do we and/or the elite really value; equality or wealth?
Sociobiology Analysis
• A theoretical paradigm that explores ways in which human
biology affects how we create culture
• This paradigm rest on Darwin’s theory of evolution:
1. All living things live to reproduce
2. The blueprints for reproduction is in the genes (carries traits to
new generations)
3. Random variations in genes allows some to acquire advantages
over others
4. Genetic patterns that promote reproduction survive and become
dominant
• Species adapt to their environment and dominant traits emerge as the
“nature” of the organism
• What does this all mean?
DOUBLE STANDARD”
• Men: sperm is renewable throughout life
– Could fertilize every women on the planet
• Women: egg is not renewable (born with a certain number)
– A woman can only bear a small number of children
• Men reproduce their genes most efficiently by being
promiscuous (readily having sex)
– This is counter to a woman’s reproductive interests
– Women must carefully select a mate whose qualities will
contribute to their child’s survival (man sticks around)
• The double standard exists around the world b/c women and
men tend toward distinctive reproductive strategies
– Some would say the DS is natural
– Historical domination over women is also the cause
DOES CULTURE BIND US TOGETHER OR ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALITY?
• WE ONLY KNOW OUR WORLD IN TERMS OF OUR CULTURE
• CULTURE IS OFTEN FORMED BY HABBITS WHICH WE REPEAT
– RACISM AND PREJUDICE
• THE MEDIA OFTEN SHAPES CULTURE
– ARE WE MANIPULATED TO HELP THEM PROFIT
• SOCIETY INSISTS ON COMPETATIVE ACHIEVEMENT & FREEDOM
– ISOLATES US FROM OTHERS
– DIVERTED FROM SECURITY AND SATISFACTION OF CLOSE
RELATIONSHIPS
– HUMAN COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT IS DEPRIVED
• CULTURE IS EVER-CHANGING AND OFFERS AMPLE
OPPORTUNITIES
• LOTS OF HOPE AND CREATIVE CHOICE DUE TO CULTURE AND
DIVERSITY
• THE GREATER WE UNDERSTAND OUR CULTURE THE EASIER IT IS
TO DECIDE HOW TO CHANGE IT
Critical Analysis of Music in Popular Culture
A. Listen carefully to the words of a popular song (possibly a controversial
song).
1. AN APPROPRIATE SONG WOULD BE NICE!
B. Think about what cultural undertones are verbalized in the lyrics.
1. How does the song relate to our culture and how does it differ?
C. Analyze the song from a sociological perspective:
1. Culture as freedom or constraint, cultural universals vs. culturally
confined, ethnocentric vs. cultural relativism, cultural integration and
culture lag, subculture vs. counterculture, popular vs. high culture, ideal vs.
real culture, social control, norms (pre vs. pro), values and beliefs, language
(sapir whorf) and symbols, culture shock, material vs. non-material cultural
traits
D. Requirements for the paper:
1. One page, single spaced, 12 font, times new roman.
2. The more comprehensive (all inclusive) the analysis, the higher your
grade.
E. Grading:
1. Appropriateness and sharing song with class
=
10pts
2. Analysis from a sociological standpoint
=
40pts
3. Total
=
50pts
Arlington Video.m3u
DIVERSITY IN CULTURE
• IMPACT OF IMMIGRATION
– EACH YEAR OVER 1 MILLION PERSONS HAVE
COME TO THE UNITED STATES
• ONE OF THE MOST MULTICULTURAL COUNTRIES IN
THE WORLD
– MONOCULTURAL IS THE OPPOSITE
• EXAMPLE: JAPAN
– PATCHWORK QUILT
• TERMS USED TO DESCRIBE OUR LAND OF
DIFFERENCES
• DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF CULTURE
– HIGH CULTURE (Violin)
• CULTURAL PATTERNS FOUND WITHIN A SOCIETY’S
ELITE GROUPS
– POPULAR CULTURE (Fiddle)
• PATTERNS THAT ARE WIDESPREAD
IDEAL VS. REAL CULTURE
• DESCRIBE THE PERFECT
RELATIONSHIP/MARRIAGE:
• IDEAL CULTURE
– SOCIAL PATTERNS MANDATED BY VALUES AND NORMS
• REAL CULTURE
– ACTUAL SOCIAL PATTERNS THAT ONLY APPROXIMATE
CUTLURAL EXPECTATIONS
• MARRIAGE AS AN EXAMPLE:
– HOW “REAL” ARE THE FOLLOWING IDEAL SOCIAL
PATTERNS?
• OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION - OR CLOSED?
• LOVING RELATIONSHIP - OR ABUSE?
• “IN GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD” - OR DIVORCE?
• EQUITY IN GENDER ROLES - OR LITTLE SHARING?
– FIDELITY IS IMPORTANT IN A MARRIAGE BUT WE DO CHEAT
• 25% OF MEN AND 10% OF FEMALES CHEAT (1994)