Society and Culture

Society is a social phenomenon that leads curious thinkers thrive to understand its nature and origin, its complex structure, its development and so on and on.  What is obvious in every society is that it undergoes changes.  Though society creates structures which become relatively permanent yet these structures change through time.  For example, during the colonial period, Philippine society was framed according to the "reduccion" plan of the Spanish colonizers where natives had to live near the church.  Eventually, the Catholic faith became the center of people's lives.  Yet, this old structure has changed in modern times.  Filipinos have to live in places where employment abounds.  Eventually, what becomes the center of peoples' lives in modern times is no longer the church but industrial complex.  Unlike the period of colonization, business is the common activity of most people, and not so much on activities related to the church.

Culture is the most useful "heuristic device" utilized by social scientists in modern times to understand society.  Though its operational definition differs from one sociologist to another yet one thing clear about its definition is that culture is all-inclusive -that is, it means everything in the society.  It refers to (manifest or non-manifest) people's way of life, beliefs, practices, habits, and so on.  It refers to everything in a society but refers to nothing in particular in it.  

The idea of culture revolutionizes our understanding of society -in each and every of its aspects.  For example, anthropologists studying lost societies like the Ankor Wat in Cambodia direct their attention in the culture of those people living in that lost society, and not so much in the structures of their society.  The idea of culture is like a mirror giving us a clearer picture of what a society is.  Culture remains unchanged while all of its existing structures, organization or shall we say, “social accidents” undergo changes.  Studying culture is like studying what is “essential” in a given society.  Culture also changes through time, though.  Most sociologists agree with this claim.  The point, however, is that even if a certain society dies out, culture remains as ease and still reflects the identity of that society.

That’s a good thing about the idea of culture.  We cannot do away with its use and its importance in understanding human society.  Its pragmatic implication is pervasive.  We can even make use of it in instilling world peace as Pope Francis urged Catholics to spread peace on Fatima centennial.     

I would like to argue that world peace is only possible if the idea of culture is given due regard and consideration.  One study shows, citing the warlike tribes in remote areas of Mexico and the peace-loving tribes in Papua New Guinea, that peace is something cultural or something nurtured. 

This fact runs counter with the long-held belief of some philosophers that man is naturally good.  The goodness of man is innate.  When he grows up, environment corrupts his nature to do good.  It is fallacious to conclude that peace in the society is built on the natural goodness of man.