Culture

“A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the souls of its people.”

-Ghandi

Culture, such a staple word in today’s society. It is the DNA of a nation. It is the idea of the people. You want to know a region’s moral code, check their culture. Culture is a tricky system because the people control the culture. Contrary to popular belief, a leader doesn’t narrate a culture. A leader can implement a culture but it’s the people’s choice to carry it out or create their own.

This is why there are laws, rules and structures put in place. These elements manage a region so that culture doesn’t have total reign.

What is culture?

“Culture (/ˈkʌltʃər/) is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.[1]

Humans acquire culture through the learning processes of enculturation and socialization, which is shown by the diversity of cultures across societies.

A cultural norm codifies acceptable conduct in society; it serves as a guideline for behavior, dress, language, and demeanor in a situation, which serves as a template for expectations in a social group. Accepting only a monoculture in a social group can bear risks, just as a single species can wither in the face of environmental change, for lack of functional responses to the change.[2] Thus in military culture, valor is counted a typical behavior for an individual and duty, honor, and loyalty to the social group are counted as virtues or functional responses in the continuum of conflict. In the practice of religion, analogous attributes can be identified in a social group.” (wikipedia.com)

So it’s safe to say that culture is a range of ideas that stem from individual beliefs branching into a group of morals and beliefs.

Growing up in the black, southern, biblical yet experience based church, I witnessed my fair share of culture. There were certain beliefs that we silently abided by. One for example, it was an unspoken rule that you should NOT work on Sunday. When I was growing up it was a negative thing to work on Sundays. If you missed church and it was found out that you were working, it was implied that you had little faith and cared more about materialism than your commitment to God. That has since changed. It is still frowned upon by some settings but now there are so many options with joining church assembly. In today’s world you can watch church virtually due to the current climate of the pandemic. You are also able to work and possibly join a church service that takes place in the evening. People have found very innovative ways to make it easy to assemble.

It is also safe to say that culture changes. Culture changes because people change. This is a good example of watching a shift in a moral code due to the changing environment.

Let’s take a look at American culture. Twenty years ago it was inappropriate to show sexually explicit content on prime time television. Shows, movies and entertainment were rated for the knowledge of the parent. They could choose what they allowed their children to watch based on the rating. It was also unacceptable to have vulgar language and profanity on television. Fast forward to today, inclusivity is the priority. That gives all sexual orientations and situations a platform in every part of media. All types of profanity in television, media and music are becoming more and more mainstream. The reason for all of this is because our culture is changing. The sum is because people change.

Now a fundamental question to ask, is why do people change? Why is what was important to one group is minimal to another?

It comes down to one word that has been the demise to man, individualism. Individualism has given voice to unqualified speakers. There has been a slow progression that has shifted the voice of the leader to the voice of the people. The people’s choice and views has become more important than the vision of the leader’s safety and security for the people. Not saying that every leader is pure in their motives. This once again promotes individualism. If you have a leader who is more concerned about what they want than the people they lead, there you have individualism. You see how detrimental this idea is. Now everyone has a voice.The voice that speaks represents self. With everyone having this idea it brings about a meshing of perspectives. This causes a bunch of these ideas to morph into one inclusive yet monstrous movement.

Now it is very important to know your space on the earth. There is a group of people and place that you will affect. That comes with purpose and you find purpose through the one who created you. The one who created you aligned all of this before you got here. So there is a purpose that you are here to fulfil on your own, but not through the basis of individualism. It is a common thread of glory to the creator.

Bottom line, individualism is dangerous and is the driving force of this changing culture. It is the absence of glorifying the creator.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not unto your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways and he will direct your path.

Proverbs 3:5-6