Culture is the foundation and soul of a story. It not only nurtures the material and form of a story but also profoundly influences the narrative perspective, value orientation, and dissemination effect. From its long history to the vibrant practices of contemporary society, culture continuously shapes how we tell and understand stories by providing rich symbolic systems, shaping collective memory, transmitting core values, and achieving innovative transformation in cross-cultural communication.In today's world, against the backdrop of increasingly fierce competition among nations in terms of comprehensive national strength, culture, as an indispensable force, is playing an increasingly prominent role.
How does culture shape our thinking and behavior?
"Culture" is actually a man-made concept that influences our ways of thinking, behavioral norms, desires, and standards through stories and concepts. This artificial intuition is "culture." Different cultures have different values, which leads to contradictions. These contradictions are inevitable, but they also provide creativity and impetus for human development.
Different ideas, concepts, and values lead us to constantly think, criticize, and re-evaluate. For example, in a culture that values individual freedom, people may pursue freedom, equality, and justice; while in a culture that values family and community, people may focus more on the harmony and safety of family and community.
These contradictions and differences allow us to better understand and respect different cultural backgrounds and lifestyles. Through communication and interaction, we can better understand each other, thereby promoting better cooperation and understanding. Therefore, culture is not merely our way of thinking and behaving, but also a bridge for communication and connection with others.
Culture: The Power of Norms and Constraints
The role of culture is also reflected in its norms and constraints on individuals and society. Every culture provides a set of binding and universally effective behavioral norms. These norms are imposed on individuals through cultural means such as family enlightenment, school education, social demonstration, and public opinion to achieve the normative and constraining function of culture. This normative function of culture guides individual behavior and maintains social order. It tells us what is right and wrong, what should be done and what should not be done. Under the guidance of these norms, people form shared values and behavioral guidelines, and society thus becomes more harmonious and stable.
Culture: A Bridge for Carrying and Transmitting
Culture has the function of carrying and transmitting civilization, which is one of its most fundamental and important functions. Through the transmission of culture, individuals can grasp the experience, knowledge, and values accumulated by humankind over a long history in a relatively short period of time. This process of "enlightenment" allows humanity to build upon the work of giants, rather than starting from scratch. As we know, without cultural transmission, humanity would be trapped in endless repetitive labor and ignorance, making survival exceptionally difficult. Culture not only transmits knowledge but also a spirit, an attitude, and a way of life. It allows us to understand the wisdom of our ancestors, feel the history of our nation, and thus gain a deeper understanding of who we are, where we come from, and where we are going. This sense of self and national identity is the embodiment of cultural cohesion and a crucial source of national unity.
