The simplest way to think about culture is to think about the distinction

between nature (our biology and genetics) and nurture (our environment and
surroundings that also shape our identities). Because of our biology and genetics, we have a
particular form and we have certain abilities. But our biological nature does not exclusively
determine who we are. For that, we need culture. Culture is the non-biological or social
aspects of human life, basically anything that is learned by humans is part of culture.
The two individuals in the photos to the above right help illustrate this idea. The naked
human comes very close to representing nothing but nature. Aside from the hair cut, which
may or may not be a reflection of culture, the individual in the photo is simply human. From
the photo, it cannot be discerned which language he speaks, what he believes, what (if
anything) he commonly wears, whether he has lots of education or little education, and so
on. In short, the naked individual is a reflection of his biology; we have no additional clues
about who he is because he is missing cultural artifacts. The other individual wearing a
costume illustrates the addition of culture to the individual. From the photo alone we can
tell that this individual is trained in ballet, a particular form of dance popular in certain
parts of the world. The clothing he is wearing is culture, and it tells us a great deal about
this individual.
Generally speaking, the following elements of social life are considered to be representative
of human culture: "stories, beliefs, media, ideas, works of art, religious practices, fashions,
rituals, specialized knowledge, and common sense" (p. xvi).[1]
Yet, examples of culture do not, in themselves, present a clear understanding of the concept
of culture; culture is more than the object or behavior. Culture also includes,
norms, values, beliefs, or expressive symbols. Roughly, norms are the way people
behave in a given society, values are what they hold dear, beliefs are how they think
the universe operates, and expressive symbols are representations, often
representations of social norms, values, and beliefs themselves. (p. 3)The
opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
To summarize, culture encompasses objects and symbols, the meaning given to those
objects and symbols, and the norms, values, and beliefs that pervade social life. "The
definition is understood to include two elements - that which differentiates one group
or society from others and the concept of acquired or learned behavior". (p. 43)[2]
Keep in mind that, in any given society, culture is not necessarily rigid and totally
uniform. As is the case with most elements of social life, culture is relatively stable (thus
it is functional in the structural-functionalist sense) but at the same time contested (in
the conflict sense).[3]
In fact, social theorists, such as Michel Foucault, Peter Berger and Thomas
Luckmann, Erving Goffman, and George Herbert Mead, have long noted
that language lies at the root of all human culture. Since language is never static and
relies upon continued use for its existence, culture is thus continuously negotiated [4],
and thus may remain relatively stable and / or change rapidly in relation to the ongoing
linguistic negotiations and developments within groups, organizations, institutions, and
societies.
 Contents
[hide]

Conclusion

So what is culture? Understood most simply as a way of life of a particular society, culture
entails a variety of aspects that include, but are not limited to: norms, values, beliefs, or
expressive symbols. Consequently, culture can encompass anything that provides meaning
or can be given meaning among a group of people. As illustrated at the beginning of the
chapter, there may be different meanings attached to the same object or symbol depending
on the culture at hand. The cow, which can be found across the globe, is an edifying
illustration of this point. Each culture has its own interpretation of what a cow is and
means. In the U.S., we most often see a cow as something to eat in our daily life, but in India,
many people see a cow as something to revere in their spiritual life. However, culture is not
static. It is vulnerable to change, sometimes at a slow pace that is less visible and
sometimes at a fast pace that is much more observable. For example, in the advent of
globalization in recent years, there is some evidence that India has been moving towards
greater consumption of beef and beef products. Only time will tell whether or not there will
be a dramatic shift in Asian Indian culture with regard to its perception and treatment of
cows due to globalization.