Why Culture Matters
The definition of culture in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time. Although accurate, I find this definition lacking, as it does not begin to reveal the scope of its importance or influence on those within it. My definition of culture would be something like this: The powerful and often unseen deterministic force that drives the behavior of those within it.
Whether we like it or not, the cultures we inhabit tend to have a greater influence on what we do, like, and become than we realize. We all like to think of ourselves as individuals governed by our own thoughts and desires, but the truth is, outside forces are impacting us every minute of everyday, and usually outside of our own conscious awareness.
We l...