4. Why is culture learned?

Return to History 8 Culture Origins Concepts

Culture plays a vital role in all human beings' lives. It tells us how to live or act in our society, what certain things in the world around us are called and what to do about or with them, and explains certain things around us in the form of myths or legends. The main problem concerning culture is that we are not born knowing all these things. Culture has to be taught and learned. Culture is so important that it is most definitely worth all the time taken to teach it. Firstly, culture is essential to building strong and powerful communities. Peoples with common cultures share common beliefs, ways of life, speak the same languages, and can therefore forge powerful relationships. A community with peoples of varied cultures can use the ideas and wisdom of the people from other cultures to help solve problems. Culture is also used to inform us of the customs and daily routines that are important to us. For an example, Americans usually make eye contact with everyone they meet, but in many cultures this is considered rude and disrespectful. These examples prove that culture is a very important factor in our daily lives.

The Dragon dance is a vital part of Chinese culture, as it signifies the new year.

Manual pgs. 50-51 Ms. Beniretto's lectures, Community Tool Box, [1] Picture credit CBS, [2]