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What the effects of culture are, and whether those effects are positive or negative, are often discussed

topics in my life. I speak frequently about it when Im with my friends. Much of the music I listen to layers down judgments on the subject from a variety of perspectives. I read books which objectify and demonstrate various aspects of culture from different time periods. Through all of the suppositions and evaluations, however, culture remains present within everyones lives, and influences all facets of our lives whether we judge people by, hate, or even dont think of culture. Essentially, I agree with the quoted statement. I do differ, however, even if only semantically. Culture doesnt give us valuable things, it gives us things and educates us to give them value. It is not the personal quest of an individual to recognize the internal value of what is presented to him by culture far from it. Skipping the epistemological dialectics for the threat of total consumption of the limited space allocated to me on this subject, no aspect of our life has inherent value recognizable by us. We dont look at what is shown to us and realize value; we see it. Culture is the rosy-colored spectacle through which we view the world around us, and the ball and chain which restrains nonconformity. It gives us inclinations and surreptitiously coerces others into punishing us if we refuse them. It stretches out a hand but curls it into a fist if we reject it. It might even tell you to make your own path, but if you ignore the road it has already paved for you, it becomes unappreciative and turns against you. While I believe this all to be true, I still appreciate culture. It provides us with direction. The basis may not be real and manufactured in truth, but it still enables us to establish a better world. Morality, faith, beliefs: all of these are given to us by our culture, and while they arent always in forms that move us forward, and not everyone subscribes to all those things, they are made widespread as a machination of culture. What is the role that culture plays in my life? It is part of my very thought processes, all my views; it gives me and the people I am surrounded with tools that we use to interact on a regular basis. It is so inherent that it is something which defines us, something which we dont recognize outside of pointed conversation on the subject of its omnipresence. There are some who believe that culture is an abomination, and it does alienate the abnormal and in some cases to horrifying degrees. It, however, still provides us with things which enable us as a race to move forward. However paradoxical it sounds, while culture influences humanity, humanity remains the source of culture. We are the ones who spread culture, and the direction and speed of our stride is congruent to cultures own gait.

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