September 14, 2009
Weaver's idea of culture makes me curious about things that are hidden in our world. His belief that behavior is the only observable part of culture made me wonder what collective secrets our behavior in the United States is masking. The only problem with that is, we may have conflicting ideas of what that unspoken secret is.
When I explained to my roommate Weaver's theory of culture, and asked her for some ideas of what to write about, she mentioned the US tradition of watching TV. In recent years, everyone watches it all the time. So, according to Weaver, this habitual behavior is based upon a shared belief.
When I told my roommate, "Yes! People watch TV and it demonstrates the value of entertainment in the United States and the belief that entertaining yourself is a good way to spend your time," she stared at me in disbelief.
"What are you talking about? TV is not based on entertainment. It's a way of staying informed about the world around you. TV is the only way I have time to get my news in the morning."
I couldn't believe it. We both come from the United States, we both watch about 10 hours of TV a week and we both agree that life without TV would be unimaginable. With such similar backgrounds on the exact same behavior, how on earth did we come to such completely opposite conclusions about the values TV entails?
And so I did some more digging. Some behaviors, such as that of studying led us to the same conclusions about beliefs (we both believe that studying is a result of the belief that everyone should be an informed world citizen). But even such basic behavior as eating we believed symbolized different beliefs and values. My roommate thinks that eating is merely a biological necessity whereas I believe that, as a part of culture, eating a meal is more meaningful. I think that we eat with other people because Americans believe in the importance of community and value the company of other people. Yet my roommate and I are both are part of the same culture and attach completely different significance to the daily act of eating.
The fact that two such similar girls, who take part in the same activities daily, could view the meaning of those activities so differently made me question Weaver’s theory. If the beliefs and values that behaviors are based upon are never spoken aloud or discussed, how are we to be sure that they hold the same meaning for everyone?
As you questioned how are we to be sure that they hold the same meaning for everyone? In my opinion that it is very difficult to hold the same meaning for everyone as we know that culture changes by passing ideas from one to another, and groups to groups by over time. So according to Laurant Yant that “everyone has a different opinion,” as well as in the article The Psychopath - The Mask of Sanity. It says “the answer will depend largely on just what your desires happen to be, because people are not all the same. Even the profoundly unscrupulous are not all the same.” That is why to have the same of holding meaning for everyone is not impossible happen but just cannot happen with everyone holding the same meaning. Of course, you always can be “filled” your dream with “wildly ambitious.” Because of between individuals of the sense of right and wrong with inexact is a part of your natural. So that of “what will you do with your huge and secret advantage” it is your reaction from other.
ReplyDelete1)http://www.andalusiastarnews.com/news/2009/aug/14/not-everyone-thinks-same-you/
2)http://www.cassiopaea.com/cassiopaea/psychopath.htm