Human Culture and the Impact of Social Diversity

Culture as a Humanizing Factor

The process of hominization and humanization occurs through the emergence of culture. Our cultural dimension is comprised of everything socially acquired. While even animals are able to spread social behavior through imitation, human beings differ by using language. This allows for the transfer and assimilation of behavior; thus, human culture is the set of information acquired through language. Human beings can change their environment, a capability known as adaptive value.

The Three Pillars of Human Cultural Content

There are three basic types of cultural information:

• Descriptive: This describes reality and allows us to understand our environment. It can be grouped into science and legends, such as the information on a jersey label (manufacturer, size).
• Practical: These provide guidelines for action, teach tasks, and develop environmental modification techniques (e.g., knowing how to wash a jersey).
• Evaluative: This creates feelings of rejection or appreciation for what surrounds us (e.g., refusing to sell fur coats).

Understanding Global Cultural Diversity

Today, there are many cultures on our planet, a phenomenon called cultural diversity. Unlike animals, man is an open being with the freedom to determine his behavior. Isolation and a lack of contact between different groups have favored differentiation and diversity.

Common Attitudes Toward Cultural Diversity

• Ethnocentric: The attitude of those who judge the culture of others based on their own cultural beliefs (e.g., imperialism, colonization).
• Racism: The belief that some races are superior, leading to marginalization and isolation.
• Xenophobia: Contempt for foreigners.
• Cultural Relativism: The belief that each culture has value in itself, which can sometimes be used as an excuse for inaction.
• Universalism: The idea of stopping a culture from being imposed on others through dialogue.
• Interculturalism and Dialogue: This helps us better understand the world. As media erases distances and ends isolation, we enter a time of cultural convergence. This contact between different peoples is called cultural transmission; assimilation means that human cultures are becoming increasingly similar.