Chapter 3 is about how humans adapt to this world. Culture is our access to adapting to who we are and what we are and can be. Here are the objectives of the chapter:
- Understand the defining attributes of culture. In particular, you should understand what it means that culture is learned, shared, symbolic, all-encompassing, and integrated; the relationship between culture and nature; and how culture can be both adaptive and maladaptive.
- Identify the different levels of culture and why it is important to distinguish between them.
- Understand the relationship between culture and individuals.
- Distinguish between ethnocentrism and cultural relativism and how both relate to human rights and anthropological research.
- Know the differences between cultural universalities, generalities, and particularities, and be able to provide examples of each.
- Understand the mechanisms of cultural change.
- Know what globalization is, the forces that are bringing it about, and its effects on local communities.
This video is a sort of reflexive ethnography of Western society and culture. Irony and humor are often useful in bringing out hidden social constructs. So check it out:
What we are; Dance Monkeys Dance by Ernest Cline - www.ernestcline.com
Many people believe in evolution. Some do not. Perhaps life is not about our beliefs per se but rather about what we can discover about ourselves from such explorations. The humor of Ricky Gervais' Introduction To The Bible (1/2) makes fun on Darwin, if you like.
I'd love to hear what struck you, what thought or ideas from Chapter 3 struck you as new or different from your previous ways of thinking. Everyone should comment on the chapter once a week or blog at least once a week.
PS. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNF_P281Uu4
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