Essay about Evaluating Societies Culture by Norms, Values, and Laws

Cows, Pigs, Wars, and Witches by Marvin Harris divulges into some difference and components of culture around the world. He answers question as to why individuals perform and act the way they do in relation to culture. He looks at sexual hierarchies among Yanomamo culture as well as the Hindu’s respect for cows in India.

Lets start by understanding that cultures are a melting pot of people’s beliefs, language, behaviors, values, material objects, and norms. Norms are written and non-written “expectations of behavior” that govern a certain location, place, or culture (26). These norms also vary from culture to culture meaning what is a norm in the U.S may not be a norm in India. For example, a norm in America would be tipping a waiter after a meal. Another would be acknowledging someone as you walk past him or her, typically done at work or in a public place. In all, norms are folkways, mores, taboos, and written laws that are an established standard of one’s behavior.

Culture is one of the most relevant elements that can define not only a society but also a country’s cumulative beliefs and system. Often noted as the origins of a country, culture is definitive in the sense that it harbors all the elements that can provide justification on the traditions and norms set by the society for its members. More often than not, the society members follow norms in order to create a harmonious community, and the beliefs and the traditions serve as the poles or grounding rules for each member to follow. Culture is very dynamic in the way that it can change over a variety of foreign influences but what is permanent about it is that original elements about it often lingers with the influences, therefore making it multi-faceted and broad. More importantly, culture serves as an individual and unique trait each society has, and therefore sets it apart from other countries and other societies.

In our society today, culture is not what it used to be hundreds of years ago. There is no more “pure” culture. Our culture today is enriched with many different traditions and customs that are being shared and adopted. Due to emigration and immigration, a variety of diverse customs, beliefs, and knowledge moved with every exiting and entering human being. Thus, changing and shaping the culture of many. Throughout the world, the beliefs and religious views of culture are dissimilar around the world. By taking the time to read, listen and learn about certain people’s culture, there will be knowledge and understanding that will be gained.

Another challenge occurs when emotional influences over the decision-making process, which may over shadow the importance of personal values in the process, pose as another challenge. Emmerling (2003) states that the emotions felt during the decision-making process can have an effect on the number of alternatives, amount of effort people are willing to invest, and people's willingness to take risks.

Russia has many cultural characteristics that have shaped the country we know today. A nation 's culture can define its actions and make them more predictable as a state on the international level. Understanding a nation’s culture gives great insight into the motives and reasoning behind their aggression or acts of force. Factors such as geography, weather, political landscape, military, and key infrastructure provide a clear understanding of Russian culture and how it has shaped the nation over the past century.

The cultural relativists have offered us a view on what is the good, is depending on whether the virtue is approved by one’s culture or not. This brings us to another question—what is culture? Seemingly, people in a different country are practicing different religions so that everyone should have

R.E.M. ....Religious, educational and moral values. These are the three values that affect society today the most, I think. Society may look down on people if they do not live by what society thinks is correct. For example if a persons values are corrupt then society will look down on that person, but if a person has real high morals then society will think that they are fake of just a “goodie”. In society today you will be looked down anyway your moral beliefs are.

“Culture is sometimes described as a lens through which we view the world, meaning that one’s culture influences their perceptions and interactions in everyday life” (Davis, 2006). Every culture has different beliefs and customs

When comparing cultures, one must form a definition of what culture is. Culture can be easily defined as the social behavior and normality’s found in human societies. It can also be easily made up of a composed arrangement of educated conduct and thought designs. Culture is a sorted out framework since it includes many parts. Throughout the world, there are many cultures that are both very different and also very similar. "Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at table, how we greet visitors, how we behave and one million other things." (Cristina De Rossi.)

My name is Christi. I was born February 17, 1999. And I know I have been separated from my immediate family and selected to begin a new society on planet Fuji. I, along with four other children, was chosen to develop our new society into something livable. Our goal is a peaceful cohesive environment. I realize the opportunity I have to continue humanity is greater than mourning any losses; however, I will never forget the life I left behind. I have already shed many emotional tears for the loss of my mother, father and siblings. The memories I have will no doubt guide me into the future.

I would definitely feel what Hansen refers to a cultural “bump” a slight uneasiness in the unfamiliar if I were to visit India (Lynch, 2011). Indian culture is deeply spiritual, but it is also complex made up of mystic, mythology and superstitions. (ISHA, 2014). Unlike, the American culture, which if religious, is mostly comprised of Monotheistic religions (one god). Another, vastly different practice is the Caste system in India, which you’re socioeconomic and social status are determined by your birthright. Meaning, that you can never climb the social class ladder, your future and success are predetermined. So different from the US, where here you personally in charge of your future success and could be born into a low socio economic family and still rise above your circumstances through hard work and education. Money, is America’s social class system regulator, and the more you have, the more your status, power and influence increases. Here, is another unusual fact I learned from a previous anthropology class, India is the only culture to recognize a 3rd gender possibility, which are called Hijras (Nanda, 1999). While, they are not always socially accepted, they are tolerated, and justified through mythology and serve a place within society, all be it, not a high one (Nanda, 1999). America has come a

Cultural differences effect many aspects of our daily lives. With the many different cultures embedded in the United States, it is important that everyone has an understanding and respect for the melting pot that is encountered daily in our communities, workplaces and schools.

We cannot live without a culture, as man is a social animal. There are diversities in our culture around the world. The diversities are good when we have a unity all over the world without discrimination of religion or caste. But there are many nuances in religion, gender, family, income, social status, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, and physical appearances in our society. The differences delegate a space to stereotypes. The stereotypes lead to clichés, which often generates hatred, cruelty, and misbehavior within the cultures.

Different societies have different moral codes. Cultural relativism claims that ethics is relative to individuals, groups, cultures and societies. Relativism resists universal moral normal. The moral code of society determines what is right or wrong in that society. There’s no objective standard that can be used to judge one’s society code against another. Its arrogant to judge others cultures. We should always be tolerant of them. Cultural relativism for many people is a response to the complexity of moral issues and the number of different responses various. Groups our cultures have given to moral issues so for many when we look at just how different cultures have responded two different issues the way different cultures. All this diversity that there seems to be a response where we want to say well, maybe there isn 't some sort of absolute right or wrong maybe morality really is just relative to a different group that different people believe different things. In this paper, I will discuss the aspect of my culture from an outside perspective and discuss another culture from an inside perspective. In sociology, the principle is sometimes practiced to avoid cultural bias in research, as well as to avoid judging another culture by the standards of one 's own culture. For this reason, cultural relativism has been considered an attempt to avoid ethnocentrism. Cultural relativism is related to but often distinguished from moral relativism, the view that morality is relative to