Cultures/Subcultures
Nancy M. Gould
> there are those who seem to think that Europe (e.g.) has one
> culture, or at least that the many subcultures of Europe are
> sufficiently alike to allow one to speak of European Culture,
> of Eurocentrism, of certain cultural traits representing the
> typical White European Male (dead!) point of view. On the other
> hand, there are those who seem to think that Iowa has quite
> a different culture from New Mexico, and that claim to have
> suffered a culture shock when moving from one to the other.
> Have we not stretched the term to thin in the first case
> and left it too thick in the second?
> Far from me the desire to start still another controversy on
> definitions, but we should at least try to figure out the
> general contour of the term lest we talk past each other.
> Eduardo
This reminds me of a conversation I had at lunch the other
day. A Canadian friend described the Midwest as being
culturally homogenous. I described to him how I felt that
there was less of a cultural difference between Michigan and
New Jersey than between Michigan and Ohio, even though Michigan
and Ohio are closer geographically. Furthermore, there is variation
within all three states. There are historical reasons for this
but I won't go into them here.
What we have to realize is that terms like "culture" and
"subculture" are context dependent. It is not incorrect to
say that Iowa and New Mexico have different cultures. But
nor would it be incorrect to say that Iowa and New Mexico
represent two different American subcultures.
--Nancy
Chet Vittitow
to make a point whose proof depends upon a rigid (and generally arbitrary)
definitional context. For proof of an American culture, one need go no
further than the local mini-mall. Or browse the best-seller list. Or
check out the video store.
The "celebration of diversity" is not (or, IMHO, should not be)
a prescription for separatism. Rather, it should be a recognition of
all those sub-cultures that make up one large culture. To the limits
of the planetary population, cultures and subcultures are infinitely large
and infinitely small. If the delegation from Sirius showed up tomorrow,
we would no doubt have to admit to a "human" culture. Likewise, there
are subcultures within subcultures within.....
Consider, for example, the fact that a square-dancing club bears
all the marks of a subculture: dress, unique activities, code-switching.
This is not, for the knee-jerkers, a comparison between Blacks in America
and Square Dancers. No one, for example, argues that square dancers have
been under-represented in literary anthologies. It is simply an illustration
of how many subcultures can exist within one another.
Chet
Nancy M. Gould
>of how many subcultures can exist within one another.
> Chet
Ever been to a science fiction convention? I've found that there is
a certain body language and way of thinking among many SF fans.
SF fans even speak of the "culture of fandom". No matter where
I've lived in the United States, there are similarities in the
way SF fans speak and act--whether you're talking about San Francisco,
California or Lexington, Kentucky.
Of course, one must be cautious of overgeneralizing.
If you keep breaking down society into sub-cultures within subcultures
within sub-cultures, you finally get to the atom of society: the
individual. One more reason why I support individual self-determination
over cultural self-determination.
--Nancy
Chet Vittitow
with a pointy stick. I have indeed been to science fiction conventions
(Cons) and have witnessed the rise of a subculture. Culture of Fandom?
Indeed so. I have a good friend that's into these things. He's been
"Fan Guest of Honor" at several. Fan Guest?
The greatest Con irony comes from the literary world. Most of the
new writers are coming out of Cons. That's where they meet, press flesh,
and in general present themselves as weird enough to warrant publishing.
For years and years Science Fiction has (rightfully, I think) complained
that it was not being treated seriously by the "mainstream." That is was
being regarded only as a "fringe" group. Now, just when it seems the
"mainstream" would be most ready to accept Sci Fi, they go off and form
a fringe group that retroactively vindicates what the mainstream has been
(erroneously) saying all along.
Chet
Sandra Basgall
literature on group behavior is especially appropriate to this discussion.
All groups have specific characteristics which include symbols, rules, and
codes, etc. And we behave differently in different groups according to the
expectations of the group and our role in the group. I doubt that there is
a "true" American, British, Mexican, etc. culture. I behave differently
in different cultures whether they be within my own close geographic area
(student, teacher, friend, mother, father, son, child, member of city
council, member of sailing club, etc.), the larger national area (Iowa,
New Mexico, New York, San Francisco, etc.), or different countries (U.S.,
Mexico, Burundi, Denmark, etc.) and I find I behave differently in the
different sub-cultures/groups in these areas (resident, scholar, student,
tourist, rural, urban, etc.).
Sandra Basgall SBAS...@VAXA.WEEG.UIOWA.EDU
Nancy M. Gould
> literature on group behavior is especially appropriate to this discussion.
> All groups have specific characteristics which include symbols, rules, and
> codes, etc. And we behave differently in different groups according to the
> expectations of the group and our role in the group. I doubt that there is
>a "true" American, British, Mexican, etc. culture.
>Sandra Basgall SBAS...@VAXA.WEEG.UIOWA.EDU
As I said earlier, terms like culture and subculture are context
dependent. Culture can be used to describe any group of people that
have distinct characteristcs that make them stand out from other groups
of people. Subculture implies that this group is part of a larger
culture.
I think that we can talk about Mexican, American culture, etc.,
but that we have to be very careful about overgeneralizing and
realize that the term "culture" is context-dependent.
Extreme multiculturalists some times forget that culture
can be applied to a lot more than just ethnicity. Perhaps that
made sense long ago when we lived in relative isolation. But
with modern transporation and communication, we are simply
subjected to too many influences to categorize ourselves simply
as "French" or "Mexican", etc.
--Nancy
JDA...@ccvm.sunysb.edu
I am curious about the cultural similarity between New Jersey and Michigan.
As an Ohioan living on Long Island, I certainly feel more cultural solidarity
with my Michgan Coleagues than my New Jersey colleagues.
What are the historical/cultural connections?