What is Culture?
Culture is a broad umbrella phrase that encompass the collective social behavior and traditions observed in various human cultures, as well as the shared knowledge, ideas, arts, beliefs, customs, skills, and behaviors of the people in those cultures. It also covers the significant influence of other external forces on the development of a culture, including religion, power, race, gender, and nationality. Thus, culture is a system of values, practices, institutions, norms, and beliefs which are transmitted and absorbed by members of a society through both formal and informal practices, organizations, and events. A major aspect of culture is language, with its myriad cultural forms and varieties, which determine the interpretation of events, practices, and words by members of a culture.
The various components of culture are social, economical, and political. These components interact to create different societal aspects and structures within which individuals and groups experience and behave in their everyday lives. Some of the important components of culture are family structure, gender roles and responsibilities, social hierarchy and power, geographical location and status, and time and place.
In some cases, the cultural practices and traditions of one culture may differ significantly from those of other ethnic groups. The existence and evolution of a culture are the result of generations of interaction between people within a society. As such, changes in cultural practices and traditions can be attributed to changes in the environments in which these cultures have been developed and lived. Therefore, the definition of a culture can be regarded as a wide and dynamic concept, which can be used to explain the complex heritage and existence of various cultural groups and societies around the world.