Cultural Theory; The Dogma of Intellectual Thought

Culture, what is it? According to Merriam-Webster there are roughly 6 different interpretations of what culture is supposed to mean. First it states that culture is an act of “developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education”, then is states that culture is the “expert care and training” of individuals. The third definition states that culture is the “enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training” which is followed by another statement saying that culture is the “acquaintance with the taste in fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of science as distinguished from vocational and technical skills”. The one definition that is most common and is used most often in academic settings states that culture is

“a) the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations; b) the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence; c) the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization <a corporate culture focused on the bottom line>; d) the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic” (Merriam-Webster).

In Edward Hall’s essay Beyond Culture, he argues that in order for culture to exist there has to be “intelligence and insight” and that “intelligence, did not begin with man, nor did the mammalian brain begin with schooling. It evolved over a period of millions of years of problem solving in real, life-and-death [situations]” (Hall 149). This statement brought up instant memories of my anthropology courses and the multitude of crude “inventions and innovations” that had to come prior to their predecessor. When taking a quick look into my recent past, I noticed that the collective knowledge of the human species and how it has affected my life. A prime example of collective knowledge is as simple as food preparation. But, that simple act of preparing a meal is solving a real-life problem, hunger. Our ability to solve problems has definitely gotten the better of our species. I would be ignorant if I did not recognize the fact that humanity “[has] detached [themselves] from the rest of life and seldom see[s] [themselves] as part of nature” (Hall 150) because of the increased intelligence and insight.

Hall’s argument has a lot of validity and is further reinforced in Richard Dawkins The Selfish Gene. Since the basic principle of any species is to replicate itself to ensure the survival of their species, it just so happens that the human brain has evolved to allow, what Dawkins states about the “one unique feature [that] man [possesses]…[the] capacity for conscious foresight” (Dawkins 4). It just goes to show that “it is not the strongest of species that survives nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change” (Charles Darwin.

The combination of Hall’s and Dawkin’s ideas further solidifies the theories put forth in Jules Prown’s essay The Truth of Material Culture: History or Fiction. The arguments stance is one that expresses that all “human-made object reflect, consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, the beliefs of the individuals who commissioned, fabricated, purchased, or used them and, by extension, the beliefs of the larger society to which these individuals belonged. Material culture is an object-based branch of cultural anthropology or cultural history” (Prown 1). I have to agree with Prown’s idea. When looking at my own collection of memorabilia within in my little family’s home, a particular sub-culture is indicated. Found in our collection of material possessions it is clear that we value craft and the creative expression through art and the use of tools. There is a sense of value for quality and craftsmanship, which makes sense since I’m studying to be an industrial designer and my husband has been a carpenter since 1997. Also found among our possessions are family photos, hand-painted cups, over 40 different house plants, and lots of outdoor equipment for the entire family. Our possessions reflect our family as our main priority as well as a healthy and conscious lifestyle.

I furthermore have to agree with Hall, I too feel “my own experience in and out of the academic worlds have forced me to recognize certain things about my own life and the direction it has taken that were in a sense almost predetermined” (Hall 151). There have been several classes throughout my college career that have led me to books on my own bookshelf as the text for the class, as if I had the insight to purchase the book several years prior to having the idea of attending college. It seems intelligence comes from gaining insight, and insight also comes from intelligence, as if they fuel one another.

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Works Cited

Dawkins, Richard. "Meme: The New Replicators." The Selfish Gene. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989. Print.

Hall, Edward T. "Chapter 12: Image and Memory." Beyond Culture. Garden City, N.Y: Anchor Press, 1976. 148-164. Print.

Prown, Jules D. "The Truth of Material Culture: History or Friction?" History from Things: Essays on Material Culture. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1993. 1-18. Print.