Cultivate Freedom

Photo from:  http://paradigm-shift-21st-century.nl/conceptual-scheme-davidson.html

From advancing Argonaut to artistic Astronaut, a representative of culture must define the concept of theme or topic. The knowledge of concepts revolves around the ideas of notions. It’s scientifically taught to children in the formulation of hypothesis. In other words, guesses.  It requires taking chances to develop a theory and routine in cultivating that first notion or guess. While these ideas are universal as we desire knowledge to give us perspective of our current world the social concepts vary dependent on the countries or regions of the world. The word culture is derived from Latin’s cultura which comes from the word colere. The epistemology of colere means honor, cherish, worship, live in, inhabit, till or simplified to cultivate. It is a present and future word and not referred to as past tense. Dictionary.com defines the word “cultivate” as “to prepare, use, promote, produce, develop, devote or seek.” In these words alone a sense of responsibility comes to mind. The ideas of mindfulness are rooted in Buddhists teachings as a central role in meditation where “correct” or “right” deductions are paths to liberation and also enlightenment. As the word enlightenment is overrated as some obscure mystical plane of consciousness, the ideas of revealing truth are self developing.

Take the idea of film as we know it, the future concept will make the past concept obsolete as the negatives of yesterday disappear from the small drive through kiosks to the corner drug store as former formats of development become digital. In essence the word culture is often misused and distorted in its meaning. In life, everything we do is a part of some culture or another, whether it is work customs, mass media perception, high society aestheticism or family traditions we cannot escape the concept of culture. It is ingrained into our personalities as building blocks of experiences. It would be ill advised to say that all people are cultured for some resist the norm. Culture is a human creation, in its anthropological scientific definitions, it has two distinct traits. According to http://anthro.palomar.edu/culture/culture_1.htm, “culture is the full range of learned human behavior patterns.” The first notable use of the word was used by the pioneer Anthropologist Edward B. Tylor in 1871. In his book Primitive Culture, Tylor said that culture is “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.”

If people can’t relate to any of these perceptions of thought then a person’s growth is stunted and the rest of society is stunned. Generally, the very ill of society with physical and mental disabilities or traumas often derails them from learning and growing within their environment. As that’s said, culture is environment and manmade misperceptions of what we are supposed to learn as a member of society is rigid and the term culture is often reserved for the upper-class with their ideals of high culture, the arts and humanities of a particular society. If culture is reduced to “learned behaviors” as we leave home and venture into the day, then what separates us from animals and other creatures of habit? The answer being speech, language and higher communications, while one of the most joyful attributes that is limited to the animal kingdom including humans is laughter and other indicators of happiness. The presumption used to be that only humans and hyenas could laugh but research has shown that other animals also possess the gift of giggles, like cows, calves, horses, monkeys and most in dogs. How could we forget the orangutan, Clyde in the 1978 movie, Every Which Way but Loose?

From sticks and stones people have evolved in creating man-made archives and buried treasures. However, they only give insight and clues to the type of culture for that time and place. It is intuition that reveals the unseen. With the onset of the internet, within a few clicks.  Culture today is no longer limited by borders or national identities. In the U.S., the great keystrokes we can visit the past in lightening (broadband) speed and restructure previous findings. It is a true stroke of genius and human nature will dictate how we will utilize, consume and examine our discoveries. In this new age, we are connected and cyber-culture unlocks the mental agility, creative engine and social discourse for a purpose - to culture.American melting pot, the residue of the dish du jour is as tasty of a full course meal.   The delight is revolutionary and Revelations unfold like a napkin in our laps. If we are then within a global family, it becomes the responsibilities of older generations to remind the youth what was. Access has become encompassing for optimal health, mental, spiritual, physical and social growth in comparison to just a few decades ago. Thus, the future is open for interpretation. What sign and what time will you participate in? Explore your eras.