What is Culture?
Culture;
Culture is a complex concept, with multiple meanings but universal importance to human populations. In many parts of the world consumption is the dominant, but not only, culture. Culture varies spatially and has a distinct geography, with some areas being relatively homogenous while others offer greater diversity. Large urban areas often produce diversity, which is reflected in the population, services and built environment of cities. Attitudes to cultural diversity differ, both personal and political/national.
Cultural Patterns;
Globalisation is seen by some as a key process in driving culture towards a global model, and media TNCs and communications technology aid this process. However, the pattern is complex and localised cultures do survive and new cultures can be generated. Culture, to some extent, determines our attitude to the wider environment in terms of consumption, conservation, exploitation and protection. Attitudes to the environment differ between cultures; however the dominance of today's consumer capitalism is difficult to resolve with pressing global environmental concerns.
The Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary defines culture as "the ideas, customs and social behaviour of a particular peoples or society". It also defines culture as "the attitudes and behaviour characteristic of a particular social group." This shows that culture can exist on a variety of scales from global beliefs to isolated tribes of less than 100 people. Culture is everything that humans do; it includes an endless range of thing. "It includes aspects of society, politics and the economy, and can be categorised by a range of different (and sometimes overlapping) groups". Cultures can take a variety of forms and can be considered mainstream, sub- or counter-. Culture has its own strand of geography called cultural geography which explores context and culture, looking at how cultural activities and contexts interact with each other and why cultural activities occur in particular ways.
Culture is all around us, we are all part of different cultures and live in a world where traces of past and current cultures surround us. Take Nelsons column for example this is a cultural trace, it represents the military and power of the British Empire. The Column is supposed to inspire pride and patriotism for the country. Even though is was built over 200 years ago. Trafalgar Square and Nelsons Column are still places where many national events and celebrations are held. However, it is also a place where anarchy occurs and protests take place, such as the 1990 poll tax riots. Political artist Banksy recognised this by stencilling "designated riot area" on the plinth, intentionally playing with the notions of power and authority. This shows that Trafalgar Square is not simply a place of patriotism, but a place of composite cultural ideas, activities and histories.
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