In chapter 3, I have learned about culture. Culture is the language, beliefs, values, norms, behaviors, and material objects that are important enough to pass on to future generations of a society. Language, gestures, values, perception and categorization of experiences, actions, norms, interaction of social structures, and struggle for scarce resources are differentiated one culture from another. Culture affects how we perceive things which guides our thoughts and actions must be studied while keeping these differences in mind.
There are three theories; Structural functional theory, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction theory. Structural functional theory is a theoretical framework in which society is viewed as a whole unit, composed of interrelated parts, each with a function that, when fulfilled, contributes to society's equilibrium.Conflict theory is a theoretical perspective that society is viewed as being composed of groups competing for scarce resources. Symbolic interaction theory is focusing on how people use symbols to establish meaning, develop their views of the world, and communicate with one another.
The article "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema" by Horace Miner is fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease. Incarcerated in such a body, man's only hope is to avert these characteristics through the use of ritual and ceremony. Every household has one or more shrines devoted to this purpose.
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