Cultural Environment?

vonderjohn · Posts: 331 Location: Middle East

Hello all

Im looking for information about CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT ... ive searched in many places but I could hardly find the MEANING of that term even! Can anyone at least explain to me what does cultural environment actually mean? and if there are some references or sources through which I can find out more about it and its causes/effects

thanks!

contrex · Posts: 2874 Location: France (ex-UK)

What do you think it means? Do you know what "cultural" means? And what "environment" means?

Setanta · Posts: 44369 Location: On a rocket to the fourth dimension

Your question is rather like asking what economy means. There is no one who lives outside of an economy, and explaining what the implications of that are, even in a primitive society, is an enormous task. There is no one who lives outside a cultural environment, and the implications are possibly even more vast than the implications of economies.

vonderjohn · Posts: 331 Location: Middle East

i have an understanding of what it means but im looking for the exact definition of it, thats all.

as i understand it, it is the 'environment' which is shaped by the culture which i live in. what environment resulting from the traditions, rituals, norms of a culture. is that right? still, where can i find an elaboration on it? ive been searching but only found about culture and the broad meaning of it

dadpad · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:15 am Post: 3211216 -

Hows this sound. I am not sure it covers environment as well as I would like.

Cultural environment is the term used to encompass all the meanings (values) that a place may have to people, beyond its utilitarian value. Commonly it refers to aesthetic, historical, scientific or social value for past or present generations.

Diane · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:27 am Post: 3211230 -

I agree with the broad definitions and that it is almost impossible to define in a few senntences.

Getting down to a more intimate evnironment, there are the families who want to provide a culteral environment for their children. That's when it gets more specific. Classical music, a majoy classical prose and poetry, the study of art and science.

All this is typical for a Europe and the Americas--typical western cultures. I'm sure it takes place in the Near East and Asia, reflecting their own definitions of culture.

A very simplified view, but one which incorporates the ways families veiw culture.

dadpad · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:40 am Post: 3211243 -

Another version.

Cultural environment – an environment which has developed as a result of human economic and life activity and retains vestiges of such activity (material articles, cultural values and spiritual values).
faolex.fao.org/docs/texts/lat37834.doc

BumbleBeeBoogie · Posts: 19396 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

To me, a cultural environment is the social contract based on the ethos of the family, tribe, community, state, country, spiritual beliefs.

BBB

saab · Posts: 74

For the fun of it I translated cultural environment into Swedish. I came up with a couple of things. Words or expressions often do have another meaning in a foreign language.
Book cafe :Enjoy your coffee in a cultural environment.
The house is situated in a cultural environment. In this case it meant it is in an unspoiled forrest.
A school tried to develope a cultural environment for the students.
It also came up in connection with food in other countries.

I think it is first of all our language, our traditions, the arts and many other things which shape us during our life.

contrex · Posts: 2874 Location: France (ex-UK)

The cultural environment is made up of institutions and other forces that affect society's values, perceptions, preferences and behaviours. People grow up in a particular society that shapes their basic beliefs and values. They absorb a world view that defines their relationships to themselves and others.