Mass Communication and Culture
The Definition of Culture
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Culture is one of the most controversial terms. The definition of the word culture has been a challenge to many researchers as they try to define “life”. Everything in our life is a culture: behaviour, language, politics, symbols, fashion, religion, etc. Culture covers all aspects of human life, so each definition of culture has a side of the truth and the definition of culture is continuously workable.
The definition presented in chapter 1 is: “Culture is the world made meaningful: it is socially constructed and maintained through communication. It limits as well as liberates us: it differentiates as well as unites us. It defines our realities and thereby shapes the way we think, feel, and act.”
The first sentence, which should be the cornerstone of the definition, is very creative and thought-provoking yet somewhat ambiguous. It does not state clearly what culture is.
In my opinion, the second sentence is the most important one. It goes with most of other definitions that culture is socially constructed and therefore relative and changeable. Then follows the key idea in understanding the relationship between culture and communication: culture is maintained through communication. There is a reciprocal relationship between them: culture affects the way we communicate, the language we use, and the expressions we make. And communication maintains, transfers, spreads and enriches our culture.
In spite of the fact that culture limits our options and differentiates us, we should regard culture as a liberation and unification tool. Culture allows you to understand the world, make your decisions, improve your experience and communicate with others.
Your culture expresses your values, behaviour, mentality and feelings. Your culture defines your reality.
Name: Ahmed Hassan Mohamed Al-Sayed Al-Khateeb
ID: 1256901
Course: MCOM101
__________________________
Culture is one of the most controversial terms. The definition of the word culture has been a challenge to many researchers as they try to define “life”. Everything in our life is a culture: behaviour, language, politics, symbols, fashion, religion, etc. Culture covers all aspects of human life, so each definition of culture has a side of the truth and the definition of culture is continuously workable.
The definition presented in chapter 1 is: “Culture is the world made meaningful: it is socially constructed and maintained through communication. It limits as well as liberates us: it differentiates as well as unites us. It defines our realities and thereby shapes the way we think, feel, and act.”
The first sentence, which should be the cornerstone of the definition, is very creative and thought-provoking yet somewhat ambiguous. It does not state clearly what culture is.
In my opinion, the second sentence is the most important one. It goes with most of other definitions that culture is socially constructed and therefore relative and changeable. Then follows the key idea in understanding the relationship between culture and communication: culture is maintained through communication. There is a reciprocal relationship between them: culture affects the way we communicate, the language we use, and the expressions we make. And communication maintains, transfers, spreads and enriches our culture.
In spite of the fact that culture limits our options and differentiates us, we should regard culture as a liberation and unification tool. Culture allows you to understand the world, make your decisions, improve your experience and communicate with others.
Your culture expresses your values, behaviour, mentality and feelings. Your culture defines your reality.
Name: Ahmed Hassan Mohamed Al-Sayed Al-Khateeb
ID: 1256901
Course: MCOM101