Cultural System

A Cultural System is a cultural pattern that is a social system of formally supported and interconnected cultural values, cultural beliefs, cultural norms, cultural symbols, and cultural artifacts.

• Context:
  • It can range from being a Local Cultural System to being a Global Cultural System.
  • It can involve numerous elements including language, customs, traditions, art, and social norms.
  • It can be influenced by and can influence the Social System within which it operates.
  • It can change over time due to internal development or external influences such as Cultural Diffusion or Cultural Exchange.
  • It can (typically) transmit Cultural Knowledge across generations.
  • It can (typically) maintain Cultural Patterns through social learning.
  • It can (typically) establish Cultural Norms for collective behavior.
  • It can (typically) create Cultural Artifacts as material expressions.
  • ...
  • It can (often) adapt Cultural Practices to environmental changes.
  • It can (often) integrate Cultural Elements from different sources.
  • It can (often) mediate Cultural Conflict through established mechanisms.
  • It can (often) develop Cultural Innovations via creative processes.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Traditional Cultural System to being a Modern Cultural System, depending on its temporal evolution.
  • It can range from being a Simple Cultural System to being a Complex Cultural System, depending on its structural complexity.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • A Japanese Cultural System, characterized by traditional arts like ikebana and tea ceremony, social norms such as politeness and respect for elders, the Shinto and Buddhist religions, and the Japanese language.
  • American Cultural System, which is highly diverse and influenced by many different cultural heritages. It includes elements like the English language, Christianity as a dominant religion, a strong emphasis on individualism, and symbols like the American flag and the bald eagle.
  • Religious Systems, such as Buddhism or Christianity, can be seen as an integral component of a cultural system, significantly influencing the values, norms, practices, and identity of the adherents.
  • Video Game Cultural System, which is a specific Social Network with its own unique norms, values, and symbols related to in-game behavior and communication.
  • Indigenous Cultural System, such as Aboriginal Australian Culture with dreamtime narratives and land-based practices.
  • Professional Cultural System, such as Medical Culture with its specialized knowledge and ethical codes.
  • Youth Cultural System, such as Hip Hop Culture with its artistic expressions and social movements.
  • Digital Cultural System, such as Social Media Culture with its virtual interactions and online norms.
  • Pop Culture Systems, ...
  • Sports Culture Systems, ...
  • Theater Culture Systems, ...
  • Academic Culture Systems, ...
  • Profession Culture Systems, ...
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • A Biological Ecosystem, which consists of interactions between organisms and their physical environment, not cultural elements.
  • A Computer Network, which is a system of interconnected devices and protocols, devoid of cultural values, norms, and symbols.
  • A Natural System, which operates through physical laws rather than shared meanings.
  • A Mechanical System, which functions through technical processes rather than cultural patterns.
• See: Sociocultural System, Culture, Social System, Cultural Heritage, Cultural Diversity, Cultural Identity.

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References

2017

• (Wikipedia, 2017) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cultural_system Retrieved:2017-10-22.
  • A cultural system is the interaction of different elements of culture. While a cultural system is quite different from a social system, sometimes both systems together are referred to as the sociocultural system.

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