Defining Culture

Defining Culture “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” (Marcus Gavery). The way I see it, the ‘tree’ is the world, each root is a different culture and society, and all the roots combine and intertwine into, not separate, but one tree. Each root contributes to the world we see today. No matter which race, religion, gender you are, which practices you partake in, or what society you are a part of, you are part of the tree. I will be explaining the five different theoretical approaches that explain how societies are created; I will also explain how culture affects social development and whether it is detrimental or beneficial to a society. The theory of language is how I would describe Symbolic Interaction. Pioneered by George Herbert Mead, he explained how our meaning and view of our world is brought upon by language we use. Language, first off, is what sets us apart from any other species; our unique ability to be able to communicate and understand one another is astounding. Without language we would not be able to advance into what we are today. Then again, as beneficial as language is, it can also cause destruction, wars, and separation amongst people. Symbolic Interactionism is the idea that through symbols we learn meaning (Plunkett). Language is the “bridge” that connects our interactions to their true meaning. And through language we form relationship, bonds, and enemies, we can connect with those who share our same interests, thus forming societies. Feminist theory, as most would expect, focuses on the differences between male and female roles in society. The main focus of feminism is on the oppression of females in society. For example, in the work place, how it is said that women still make less per dollar then the same qualifying male. They