Dear friends
I've started to work on a project which may or may not have far reaching ends. At the moment; today stands as it's initiation day.
The project itself is called, What is culture? It may seem like a simple or obscure titled objective, to find out what people think culture is, or the answer might be clear for other people.
However, what is important about this project is the scale of its reach. It can reach two people or it can reach two thousand or ten thousand (and if it reaches anything like that I will be truly humbled). I hope that you can also help to realise any goals set out in this project.
You're probably asking, so where do I come in? Well, firstly take a read of the brief document below; it's a short essay and explanation of what I'm thinking and where I hope that the project may go. Then you respond in whatever way you believe is best suited in any medium you feel fits your method of expression.
A second way that you can help with this project (and this I believe to be the most significant) is to spread and share the word with your friends, relatives, students, teachers - anyone and everyone matters and I want to hear from anyone or everyone.
If I get a significant response I hope that I can put an exhibition on or publish a book documenting the responses from across the world, and I really hope that this project can take on a global scale. I'm believing in you!
Updates are to be posted here.
Please email me (or leave a comment in the guestbook)as soon as you're ready to respond or if you want to get more info! For the time being I can only take emailed responses because I'll be changing address soon - as soon as I'm settled I'd love to get any physical representations or whatever you feel is your response.
Thanks everyone
Conzie
What is culture?
The first ten years of what was called the new millennium have passed. The world has changed dramatically from the political character it held one hundred years ago. But has it changed socially? Today, there are over one hundred and fifty countries in the world, and even more nationalities and more ethnicities and ‘culture’ than perhaps was previously recognised. ‘Culture’ is a modern word that has seen its use grow in popularity. Since I have been born I think that this term is more widespread than ever. But what does it mean?
The subject of ‘culture’ has emerged as a key talking point around the world and has been the cause of racism, war and genocide among other things. But it has also helped to reinvent national characters. Irish ‘culture’ is an internationally recognised symbol that was instrumental in creating the modern Celtic Tiger that brought so much economic prosperity over the past twenty years. American ‘culture’ is viewed from different perspectives; firstly as a wealth and freedom delivering saviour with modernity accompanying it hand in hand, secondly there is the globalising monster that cares for profit before people and has used its military as a means of utilising its goals.
‘Culture’ is a mixed up term that can be applied to several aspects of individuality, society and nationality. It affects every person in the world. Those who have never experienced another ‘culture’ and those who have travelled all over the world learning as much from India or bus journeys in Bolivia as they did from secondary school in their own western hometown suburb upbringing.
‘Culture’ is a multifaceted and indiscriminate term that can be interpreted whichever way an individual sees fit. The term ‘get some culture’ implies that one would go and visit some museums and items of cultural significance, namely historical or art. But, then the same idea of cultural significance can be seen in our day to day religion, habits and food, things that develop over time and are not represented in museums or in theatres. Generally speaking we recognise different cultures more when we visit one that is distinctly different from one that is more familiar to us. Yet, we can also recognise the similarities in culture if we take a moment to observe the actions and daily happenings. We can claim that some cultures are more advanced, or have a richer heritage, or they are inferior to others.
While I was in the UK over the past year, this word seemed to creep into discussions and it became something that concerned me. In the UK there have been discussions as to whether or not it is a ‘multicultural’ environment – this term would imply that the people who live and function in the country create a society of many cultures. But is a society of many cultures not one culture in its own right?
With a term that is so difficult to determine, such as ‘culture’, how can we categorise anything within it when we are clearly unable to categorise the term itself? If we cannot categorise the term ‘culture’ then how is it possible to have a standard ‘culture’ on which we can determine one as richer than the other and one as more superior to another and so and so forth?
In this project I am asking you, what is culture? That is all I want to know. What is culture? In the spirit
of trying to keep things as complex as possible, I want to remind you all that no answer is wrong and nonswer is right. Our own beliefs and opinions are what differentiate us from computers and brick walls and I would never try to take that away from anyone as I wouldn’t like it to happen to me. Our own beliefs and opinions also offer a vantage point to consider what culture is.
What is culture? is an exploratory project into the feelings of everyone. There is no limit to the scope of my goals. One reply is equal to one million. At the moment I don’t know what response to expect, but I hope I get a response. There is a phrase out there called ‘world culture’ and perhaps this maybe be called a ‘world cultural project’ or it may be a dead horse before it leaves the stable. You can help determine the result.
I’m calling on you, the people I know directly, to help make a difference. You are artists, sportsmen, teachers, bank workers, electricians, unemployed, farmers, Christians, atheists, rich, poor, Asian, African, American, European, gay, straight, male, female, well travelled, never left home, in love or never been close to love. You and who you know can share this chance for a better understanding of who we are and who you are and what the world around is like in the twenty-first century.
Your responses are what make this project beautiful. Not everyone can express themselves in words. Not everyone can express themselves. Whatever your medium for explaining what is culture?; send them to me!
Include your name, where you’re from and what you are or do (and I mean what you think you are, not what your ‘job’ is). Send this on to all and sundry, I’m not looking for anything high or low brow; it doesn’t have to be intellectual; it doesn’t have to be anything just what you think!
For the time being I can only accept email responses. I’ll let you know as soon as you can send in hard copies and whatever way you think you want to express what is culture? I’m looking forward to hearing from you all soon.
Peace & big smiles
Conor/Conzie
Dunboyne, Co. Meath
8 January 2010
You can now find regular updates and discussions on facebook, not to mention a new blog full of wonderful randomness, here, called 'If I had a minute to spare I would probably say something like this'
