Culture: a matter of likes and dislikes.

Many practices, norms and rules of the present day are held logical, because it’s a part of culture. What is culture?

Culture is a way of life. When two or more individuals adopt same kind of likings and dislikings in respect to music, taste, dressing, eating, thought process, we come to define it as culture. It’s a shared way of living. For instance if two people think that drinking is a sin then it becomes a part of their thinking which forms a particular culture, this is given acceptance and carried on from generation to generation and becomes a tradition on the same hand.

Is there something wrong about a particular culture. Well my logic says a big NO. We can’t hold a particular culture as intelligible or unintelligible because it’s not accepted by people at large. People have different identities and there identities can’t be modified in one single way. Just because a particular culture is in majority it can’t be acceptable to everyone. Culture becomes binding when it’s being imposed on individuals even when they don’t want to be a part of it. Many evil practices are defined as culture which is surely a misinterpretation (like honor killings).

But the question that we ask if all cultures are right in their own way then how can we prevent bad practices in society. For instance- hippies consume drugs as a part of their culture which is a crime, not for them but for the society. Where should we draw lines between good and bad practices. Well following are some of the points that must be considered-

· All cultures must hold some shared understanding of good or bad as this will create cooperative society.

· People should not impose a cultural practice on others.

· Culture should be a blend of modernity and traditions.

· It should be able to transcend itself with time.

· People should make culture a matter of principle but not a matter of rule.

· Practices which are unlawful (like consuming drugs) should be not be a part of any culture.

If these things are taken into consideration then we can hope to have a society where these heterogeneous cultures live in unity to form an ideal society. Where even conflicts can be easily resolved on a shared understanding.